ITV

Category: Television

  • Sab’s to launch ‘Left Right Left’ on 10 July at 9:30 pm

    Sab’s to launch ‘Left Right Left’ on 10 July at 9:30 pm

    MUMBAI: After launching Twinkle Beauty Parlour recently, Sab will now be launching a new show Left Right Left -an action packed youth based drama – on 10 July. The show will be aired from Monday-Thursday at 9.30 pm.

    Set in contemporary India, Left Right Left is the story of six youngsters Huda, Naina, Yudi, Alekh, Ali and Pooja who come together at the pre NDA Academy with varied interests, dreams, aspirations and goals. They transform from being naive to responsible young men and women who are determined to fight all odds of life.

    The show captures the journey of six confused and disoriented youngsters who transform as strong determined individuals. It also renders their realisation for the love of their mother country along the way.

    Produced and directed by Tony and Deeya Singh (of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi), Left Right Left stars Rajeev Khandelwal (Captain Rajveer), Shveta Salve (Dr. Ritu Mishra) and Puneet Issar (Brigadier Chandok) along with Vikas Manaktala (Huda), Arjun Bijlani (Alekh), Kunal Kapoor (Yudi), Harshad Chopra (Ali), Ghazal Rai (Pooja) and Priyanka Bassi (Naina).

    Sab senior vice president and business head Vikas Bahl said, “Our programming strategy consists of introducing new shows that include unique concepts, fresh new faces and an overall packaging that draws the masses, giving the much needed impetus to expand the channel viewer ship. At Sab, we are currently moving in the direction of consolidating our prime-time and are sure that Left Right Left will give us the expected boost.”

    Sab programming head Priya Mishra said, “Left Right Left is a show based on the youth and is a key differentiator in terms of programming for the channel. Left Right Left is a show different from the competition in the 9 pm – 10 pm slot as none of the other general entertainment channels have addressed the sentiments of youth. The show showcases much larger issues that concern the youth and reflects their attitude.”

    Tony and Deeya Singh added, “Left Right Left demonstrates a unique story of six youngsters and their way of living life. The viewers will be able to relate to Huda, Naina, Alekh, Ali, Yudi and Pooja since there would be times in their lives, where they would have experienced the same emotions and therefore will empathise with them.”

    The channel has associated itself with leading fashion house Provogue and designer Deepika Gilani to lend their creative fashion expertise to build the look for this show. Provogue has especially designed the cargoes and Tee Collection for the cast and has also styled Rajeev Khndelwal’s look for the show.

    The marketing and communication campaign of Left Right Left, the channel claims, is just as differentiated as the show itself. The campaign spanning television, radio, outdoor, on-ground captures the rebellious streak of youth in an innovative manner.

  • Yahoo! India gets search innovative with ‘My Web 2.0’

    Yahoo! India gets search innovative with ‘My Web 2.0’

    MUMBAI: Yahoo! Search has released My Web 2.0, which is a “personal and social search engine,” in India.My Web 2.0 provides users a simple way to save, organise and tag actual web pages and bookmarks, recall them from any computer, as well as selectively share their personalised ‘My Web’ with friends and a broader community of users with similar interests.

    My Web content from a user’s own personal archive, as well as from a user’s community are also displayed in the typical web search results page, further complementing results from Yahoo!’s leading web search engine.

    Additionally, unlike bookmarks, a user’s “My Web” is accessible from any computer, with no risk of losing saved bookmarks.

    Yahoo! India managing director George Zacharias said, “Yet another example of Yahoo!’s innovative approach; My Web 2.0, dramatically improves the relevance of search results. The internet is becoming more community-orientated and users want access to trusted information. We see social search as the next phase of web search. My Web helps users tap into the power of communities, using tagging and sharing to improve their search experience. My Web 2.0 combine’s social search with the power of web search to provide the user with more relevant results”.

    When users sign up to My Web and run a search, they see results at the top of the page derived from content that they saved in My Web and interesting links that other people have saved as a complement to the normal web search results, providing an even more relevant search experience.

    My Web 2.0 provides significant feature enhancements to the earlier My Web product based directly on user feedback and include:

    Tagging: categorize saved pages in a much more flexible way than using folders by assigning them to multiple categories labeling the content with tags.

    Unidirectional connections: allows people to easily access valuable content that has been discovered by others, without having to have a personal relationship. This means that people can discover interesting pages of a specific user (it may be an industry expert, a celebrity, or your next door neighbor who knows something about everything and saves really useful links) and because you like what they are saving, you can subscribe to all of their pages. You can automatically add them as a contact and make them part of your community.

    Additional Sharing controls: My Web 2.0 offers increased control over who you are sharing with – you can choose to be the only person who can access the pages saved, you can identify the communities you share certain saved pages with (friends, family etc) or you can share your saved pages with the world.

    Enhanced Profile personalization: allows people to create a unique online identity, by assigning a photo or avatar, nickname and email address to their online identity, creating a more personal presence within the community. Over time, by personalising your presence, you could become a well-known web guru for the information you are saving and sharing.

    Easy import of web pages: users can import easily their bookmarks, and also save pages with one click directly with the Yahoo! Toolbar.

  • Intervoice to enhance EchoStar’s customer service

    Intervoice to enhance EchoStar’s customer service

    MUMBAI: The provider of digital television services EchoStar Communications Corporation will be using the Intervoice Voice Automation Platform of Intervoice, Inc. to significantly enhance customer self-service to its more than 12 million subscribers.

    With Intervoice’s highly-scalable and flexible voice platform, EchoStar will provide its subscribers with a quick and easy way to access information and complete transactions via phone at any time and from any location, states an official release.

    Subscribers will be able to check their account status, pay a bill or subscribe to a new service simply by saying a command such as, “check account balance”, rather than using the telephone keypad to complete transactions. Also, for subscribers who prefer to speak with a live agent, the self-service system will quickly and accurately direct them to the most appropriate agent who can answer their questions.

    “Providing top-quality customer service is integral to our long-term success and most importantly, toward strengthening the relationships with our rapidly growing customer base,” said EchoStar Rob chief information officer Strickland. “We continue to rely on our partner Intervoice for their deep knowledge and professional services expertise in enhancing the customer service experience with speech technology.”

    When fully implemented, EchoStar estimates that it will save nearly $11 million a year with this new customer-self service system.

    “For companies driven by customer service like EchoStar, finding the right balance between offering customers a self-service system and the opportunity to speak with a live agent is key to their success, ” said Intervoice president and CEO Bob Ritchey. “Intervoice is helping companies achieve this delicate balance with its innovative solutions that enable consumers to connect with businesses through the channel of their choice — voice, Web or multi-modal.”

    The release adds that the cumulative value of the purchase orders received by Intervoice last week is approximately $7.4 million. In addition, the company received purchase orders in the amount of approximately $1 million from this customer during the preceding four month period.

    The company currently anticipates recognizing approximately $1 million in revenue in its first fiscal quarter, which ended May 31, 2006, and the remainder of the revenues, other than maintenance revenues, during the rest of the fiscal year which ends 28 February, 2007. The company currently anticipates realizing maintenance revenues in the aggregate amount of approximately $1 million during its current and next fiscal years.

  • Mobile subscriber base approaches 1 bn in APac; India & Indonesia to fuel growth

    Mobile subscriber base approaches 1 bn in APac; India & Indonesia to fuel growth

    MUMBAI: Unlike the trends that are sweeping across the global cellular market, the cellular subscriber growth in the Asia Pacific region is poised to see continued double-digit growth in the next three years. The region’s mobile industry is estimated to grow by 22 per cent in 2006 to reach close to a billion subscribers by year-end, including Japan’s 100 million subscribers.

    Given the markets’ infancy and vast population base, India and Indonesia are likely to fuel a significant portion of the growth. The implementation of “lifetime validity” in India, as well as the ongoing network expansion into rural areas in developing cellular markets will further help sustain the mobile industry’s high growth in the region.

    New analysis by global growth consulting company Frost & Sullivan, Asia Pacific Mobile Communications Outlook 2006, reveals that the mobile subscriber base — covering 12 major Asia Pacific economies excluding Japan — totaled 677.5 million in 2005 and is expected to reach 826.6 million by end-2006.

    Although the growing popularity of prepaid services has been a major driver of subscriber growth in the region, the influence of low-end market is likely to be more pronounced in the coming years. Factors contributing to the growth of the low-end market include the launch of low-cost entry-level mobile handsets, the move into rural areas for long-term sustainable growth, the continuous price cuts in call rates and the introduction of affordable flat- rate pricing plans.

    “With call charges typically accounting for more than 75 per cent of the total regional mobile revenues, Asia Pacific’s cellular industry is highly voice-centric. However, in view of the declining growth in voice revenues and the stiff competition from alternative voice applications, mobile data is seen as the next wave of growth for mobile operators in the region,” said Frost & Sullivan industry manager Janice Chong.

    Notably, the wireless quarter will largely dictate future growth in the Asia Pacific telecommunications industry. The emergence of broadband wireless access (BWA) in Hong Kong and Singapore, the anticipated commercial launch of wireless broadband (WiBro) in South Korea, the numerous WiMAX (wireless interoperability for microwave access) trials, as well as the harmonisation efforts of WiBro with WiMAX further underscore this trend. Much of the parley in 2005 would transform into deployment in 2006, while full commercial rollouts are likely only in 2007.

    Despite the emergence of such new technologies, the 2G/2.5G mobile subscriber base is expected to continue contributing significantly to the overall growth of the industry, given its near-term market dominance. In order to accelerate the migration from 2G/2.5G to the 3G platform, 3G operators would need to continue emphasising on inexpensive voice and offer aggressive 3G handset subsidies.

    “At a time when most regional cellular industries are fast approaching saturation, Asia Pacific remains one of the few surviving high-growth markets. Although this highly competitive market is plagued by constant price war and short product life cycles, it is far from being saturated,” added Chong.

    The Asia Pacific Mobile Communications Outlook 2006 is part of the Mobile and Wireless subscription. It provides an insight into the current market environment and discusses the anticipated developments in the Asia Pacific mobile communications industry in 2006. Apart from an analysis and outlook of the overall regional market, the study provides a detailed analysis and outlook/implications across 12 countries. This will provide market participants with the necessary market intelligence to identify and evaluate market opportunities, as well as develop winning go-to-market strategies.

  • Top brass of Yahoo!, WPP start new media venture – Gas Station TV

    Top brass of Yahoo!, WPP start new media venture – Gas Station TV

    MUMBAI: Gas Station TV (GSTV), an IP-based digital television network, has announced the appointment of its executive management team. Yahoo!’s David Leider will serve as CEO and manage client and partner relationships and business operations. WPP’s Stephen Kuehn will oversee fiscal operations as chief financial officer. Adam Bleibtreu will provide design, execution and integration expertise as president of the company.

    The team will lead the company in building a national digital media network offering entertainment and informational programming to consumers, while affording unique advertising opportunities to the gas retailer marketplace.

    The GSTV digital network will air on 20″ high-definition, daylight viewable LCD monitors embedded into gas pumps. GSTV will feature national ABC content such as its popular “News You Can Use” segments, as well as local news, AccuWeather forecasts and traffic from ABC affiliates. Leider, Bleibtreu and Kuehn will leverage their experience in advertising, media and marketing to strategically position GSTV in the market.

    GSTV CEO Leider carries more than 20 years of experience in the media, automotive, consumer packed goods, retail and technology sectors. Leider brings expertise in senior-level client relationship management, business operations and marketing integration to GSTV. Prior to joining GSTV he was a member of senior management at Yahoo! Inc.

    Prior to his role as CFO of GSTV, Kuehn served at WPP Worldwide as CFO for the Ford Automotive business where he was responsible for all aspects of finance and operations. During his 15 years in advertising, Kuehn has held several senior financial management positions, servicing many automotive, fast food and retail industry clients.

    GSTV president Adam Bleibtreu brings 25 years of advertising, media and marketing experience to his position at GSTV. An expert in narrowcasting and IPTV networks, Bleibtreu specialises in the design, implementation and integration of digital networks. Prior to GSTV, he was responsible for designing and executing the first digital networks in themed restaurants, shopping malls and convention centers in the US. Having served as the initial vice president of creative services for the WB Television Network, Bleibtreu has a rich experience in launching television networks.

    “The strong leadership skills demonstrated by David, Adam and Stephen through their far-reaching expertise in advertising and digital media are what solidified GSTV as such an attractive investment opportunity. I am fully confident in each of their capabilities to develop GSTV into a dramatically successful venture,” said DHW Capital’s David Wong.

  • CTV and Bell Canada launch mobile video news services

    CTV and Bell Canada launch mobile video news services

    MUMBAI: CTV Inc. and Bell Canada has announced the launch of two new made-for-mobile video news services for CTV News and Report on Business Television (ROBTv).

    Bell Mobility customers can now access video news package available in Canada along with the country’s
    first-ever business-only news reports directly on their video-capable handsets. Canada’s newscasts are now available 24 hours a day on television, online, and now wirelessly through Bell.

    CTV News and ROBTv mobile video news service complements other Bell Mobility TV services, which includes NHL highlights, news, weather, sports and entertainment content.

    In an official statement, the Bell Mobility customers will receive CTV News, which is a three-minute branded newscast updated hourly throughout the day, making it the most current mobile newscast available in Canada. For Canadians, it’s a solution that offers unfettered and up-to-date access to the day’s breaking news stories and beyond.

    The ROBTv mobile news service is the first mobile content dedicated exclusively to business news. Available only from Bell Mobility, ROBTv’s packaged business news wrap will be updated hourly, delivering the ongoing stories of the day from Bay Street to Wall Street and beyond.

    The mobile reports will also include analyst ratings, Stars and Dogs Picks and exclusive interviews with the business newsmakers of the day. It’s the must- have mobile video news service for business minded Canadians.

    “The mandate of the CTV News division is to deliver meaningful and comprehensive news reports in a timely fashion,” said CTV News president Robert Hurst. “With Bell Mobility, we now have a mobile strategy that showcases our leading news services and ensures Canadians can stay connected to the
    critical news of the day.”

    “Extending CTV’s news and business content onto a mobile platform only made sense if we could deliver value to the consumer,” said CTV VP digital media Kris Faibish. “Working with Bell Mobility, the opportunity to deliver hourly news and business wraps, something no other broadcaster provides, delivers that value and provides the perfect entry point for CTV News on mobile.”

    Bell’s streaming video clip service is currently available on the EV-DO enabled Samsung a920 and the Sanyo 8300 and 7500, and a downloadable news video clip service is available on the Motorola E815 and RAZRV3c, states the official release.

  • Five news organizations and US government settle privacy suit

    MUMBAI: Can a journalist be forced to reveal his sources? A journalist holds the right to refuse to reveal his source, but in this connection he should be willing to face a trail. A court battle, which featured news organisations and the US government, and its climax have proved that protecting the source can be a costly affair.

    Five news organisations namely ABC News, The Associated Press, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post has agreed to join forces with the US government towards the settlement on invasion of privacy with the former scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Wen Ho Lee who was falsely accused of being a Chinese spy.

    The US government is paying $1,645,000 and the five news organizations are paying $750,000 to avoid contempt sanctions against their reporters, who refused to disclose the sources of their stories about the espionage investigation. 

    The reporters of the five media organisations were not named in the suit as defendants, but had been held in contempt by the court for refusing to testify and had been ordered to pay fines of $500 per day for refusing to name their sources.

    Lee brought his case against the government and the five news media organisation in 1999,when the federal investigators accused him of giving nuclear secrets to China. He spent nine months in solitary confinement awaiting trial.

    Lee contended that the government had violated privacy laws by telling reporters about his employment history, finances, travels and polygraph tests.

     

  • Man’s World magazine launches on Tata Indicom cell network

    Man’s World magazine launches on Tata Indicom cell network

    MUMBAI: Coruscant Tec, a mobile content developer and aggregator has launched the popular Man’s World magazine for mobiles on the Tata Indicom network. The mobile magazine is available at a monthly subscription of Rs 30.

    The launch of the pocket size magazine marks the debut of a print magazine onto the mobile interface.

    With consumers increasingly demanding more from their mobile networks, the launch of the pocket size magazine is the first of its kind in the value added services market in India.

    The mini magazine has been developed on Qualcomm’s Brew platform and will be updated twice a month.

    “The consumer is increasingly demanding more out of his mobile phone. With that in mind, the need to develop innovative Value Added Services is imperative. We have worked closely with Man’s World and Tata Teleservices to tailor content specifically for the mobile interface. With the mini magazine we want readers to have access to the magazine at all times. Content will be available dynamically and will be updated on a fortnightly basis” says Coruscant Tec founder and MD Ajay Adiseshann.

    Man’s World is a monthly magazine targeted at contemporary Indian men. It is an Indian magazine suffused with international sensibility but backed by local content. The magazine covers various themes ranging from women and dating to electronic gadgets and cars. The mobile magazine will feature select content from the print version such as women, wheels, gadgets, style guru, grooming, Dr. Know and cricket providing the reader with entertainment on the go.

    “The interesting thing about this version is that we have worked with Coruscant Tec to provide content from our large databank of material. Users will be able to get articles from past issues of the print magazine. We have pooled in all our materials to offer the consumer the very best they could ask for”, said Man’s World India editor N. Radhakrishnan.

  • Brokeback Mountain, Wedding Crashers shine at MTV awards

    Brokeback Mountain, Wedding Crashers shine at MTV awards

    MUMBAI: Comedy Wedding Crashers and Oscar-winning drama Brokeback Mountain have bagged five top awards at the MTV Movie Awards held in California.

    Jim Carrey won a lifetime achievement award. Actor Steve Carell won the award for best comedic performance for his role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

    Jake Gyllenhaal stole the limelight by bagging the best performance prize for Brokeback Mountain and the best kiss recognition for the one in the movie with co-star Heath Ledger.

    Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger beat Brad Pitt and Angelina Joline in Mr and Mrs Smith. Pitt and Jolie won the award for the best fight in the same movie.

    Wedding Crashers was named best film and collected best screen team and breakthrough performance awards, voted for by MTV viewers.

    The show, hosted by actress Jessica Alba, will be broadcast in MTV USA on 8 June.
     

  • Hallmark buys rights to 39 Warner Bros feature films

    Hallmark buys rights to 39 Warner Bros feature films

    MUMBAI: The Hallmark Channel has announced that it has acquired the US telecast rights to 39 feature films from the Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution, including the network TV premiere of March of the Penguins.

    With the network’s acquisition of the Academy Award winning documentary March of the Penguins, the Hallmark Channel executive VP programming David Kenin said, “Hallmark Channel is still bent on world domination and we are starting with Antarctica.”

    According to a release, the Hallmark channel is currently being distributed to a little more than 73 million households nationwide.

    In its attempts to bounce back, Kenin also added, “The deal will help to drive ratings, attract more sponsors and increase distribution for the network.”

    However, the terms of the deal were not disclosed, adds the release.

    The 39 Warner Bros. movie package acquired by Hallmark include, Troy, The In-Laws, The Bridges of Madison County, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and The Phantom of the Opera, among others.