ITV

Category: Television

  • Global survey predicts strong future for mobile TV

    Global survey predicts strong future for mobile TV

    MUMBAI: A new report European mobile phone users in early 2006, ‘New Mobile Services – Europe 2006’, from Portio Research, gives a resounding ‘thumbs up’ for mobile TV. Significantly over 50 per cent of those interviewed were interested in mobile TV and were prepared to pay for it, at an average price of €10 Euro per month.

    The key findings:

    • As many as 50 per cent of mobile users are interested in mobile TV and are prepared to pay on average €10 for ‘all you can eat TV’ – the potential market is huge even when based on conservative uptake.

    • Video calling is in its infancy with only 6 per cent of the survey sample having used it already, however over 60% of those interviewed expressed both an interest in using the service and a willingness to pay for it.

    • Mobile advertising is a big turn off for most with over 65 per cent of survey respondents expressing a zero tolerance attitude to what many consider to be spam, or advertising that you have pay for when ‘snacking’ on TV.

    It is clear that mobile TV will create a market for more TV viewing in addition to that at home, delivering the notion of ‘TV snacking’ whilst on the move. News and weather for professionals commuting to work, celebrity gossip and game show updates for the young professional and music videos for teenage fans. Sports aficionados also appear to be keen to grab the latest action whenever they can. All the evidence suggests that even at conservative estimates the market potential is huge, states an official release.

    Video calling whilst still in its infancy obviously holds an attraction for many users particularly the teen market 85 per cent of whom expressed a desire to use video calling in the future. Interestingly pre-paid subscribers were willing to pay more than post paid subscribers per call. Once again the research indicates a very attractive market with the potential for perhaps as many as 400 million Europeans using the service.

    One of the most interesting findings of the survey is consumer attitudes to mobile advertising, with over 65 per cent of those questioned expressing zero tolerance to what many consider to be an unwelcome intrusion into their mobile world. As well as being likened to e-mail spam, advertising was considered particularly unacceptable if it intruded on paid for time watching mobile TV, the release adds.

    The survey undertaken by Portio provides many different insights into mobile user attitudes and trends across all major European markets. Italy and Spain for example turn out to be the mobile content hotspots whilst users in Denmark, France and Russia prefer to use content and services pre-installed on their phones. Men continue to prefer buying online while women prefer to go shopping for real. There is plenty of good news in this report for mobile network operators.

  • Mega finale of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge ‘Dwitiya’ airs on 23 June

    Mega finale of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge ‘Dwitiya’ airs on 23 June

    Mumbai, June 23, 2005: Its time to roll out the red carpet; blow the trumpets & applaud the ‘best of the best!’… After weeks of laughter clubbed with high levels of anticipation, the much-awaited MEGA FINALE of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge ‘Dwitiya’ is here… where the 7 final contenders Khayali Saharan from Chandigarh, Rajkumar Javkar, Dr. Tushar Shah, Rajeev Nigam from Mumbai, Pratap Fauzdar from Agra, Rauf Lala & the comic duo Ali Hasan & Irfan Malik from Pakistan gear up to clash in the nationwide comic talent hunt for the coveted ‘Hasi Ka Shahenshah’ Title and win the Chevrolet Aveo! And hotting up the MEGA FINALE on Friday, June 23, 2006 at 10 p.m. would be the gorgeous & scintillating Bipasha Basu as the race for the title reaches its finish line!

    Last week (part 1 of the finals), saw macho actor Suniel Shetty as the celebrity judge who was enthralled by the rare performances and brilliant comic antics!

    The temperatures will soar & the anticipation will rise during the MEGA FINALE, as the final episode will witness the clash of the 7 Finalists (unlike season 1 which had 6 contenders) who will perform to prove their talent to garner maximum viewers’ votes.

    The countdown has begun… Whether it’s Dr. Tushar Shah’s subtle style of comic delivery or Rajeev Nigam’s political sattire. Not to forget Khayali’s witty gags, one-liners and punches or Rajkumar Javkar’s heroic muppet Ranchoo. The perfect laurel and hardy, Ali Hasan & Irfan Malik with their perfect chemistry hailing from across the border are worth a watch! An exciting tie in the 3rd semi-finals also saw Rauf Lala making it to the Finals with his spontaneity and comic timing. And last but not the least Pratap Fauzdar who has managed to tickle everybody’s funny bone and is one of the favourites in this competition. From 60 contestants to 13 and now 7, the race to win the coveted title – Hasi Ka Shahenshah has just gotten tougher.

    The show has been a phenomenon in itself, bringing the entire nation to a groundbreaking experience that has taken millions of Indians voting for their favourite contestants. In its second avatar this year, the show also created a grandeur platform for upcoming comedians from India and across the border who demonstrated their creativity and gained phenomenal recognition amongst the comic aficionados. The show also witnessed high celebrity quotient such as Sameera Reddy, Soha Ali Khan, Koena Mitra, Priyanka Chopra & heartthrob Hrithik Roshan amongst others as a part of the discerning panel of judges.

    After 16 weeks of non-stop entertainment, laughter & tough competition, the countdown has begun! And now its time for the final verdict…as the fate of these 6 finalists will depend equally on the decision of the judges and the viewer votes. So gear up for the GRAND FINALE and vote for your favourite contestants…

    Tune into STAR ONE for fun, laughter and entertainment this Friday, June 23, 2006 at 10:00 p.m. for the battle between the best!

  • adidas unveils Match Ball for 2007 FIFA women’s World Cup

    adidas unveils Match Ball for 2007 FIFA women’s World Cup

    FIFA and adidas celebrate women’s football

     

     

    Berlin/Herzogenaurach, June 22, 2006 – Today, the Match Ball for the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup* was officially unveiled at the Women’s Football Day at the adidas World of Football in Berlin. adidas Brand President and CEO Erich Stamminger and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter handed over the new match ball to the General Secretary of the Organizing Committee Nan Yong and Chinese football star and FIFA Ambassador Sun Wen.

     

    Women’s football continues to expand its size, its participation, recognition and audience around the globe. At adidas we are firmly dedicated to supporting women’s football and to developing products that allow female players to further enhance their performance. We are already looking forward to the FIFA Women’s World Cup* in China next year,” commented Erich Stamminger, President and CEO of the adidas brand.

    The Match Ball for the FIFA Women’s World CupT China 2007 will feature the same performance characteristics as the adidas +TeamgeistT, the Match Ball of the FIFA World Cup 2006T. The revolutionary 14-panel ball construction brings down the number of three-panel touch points by 60% (from 60 to 24) and the total length of the panel lines is reduced by over 15% (from 400.05 cm to 333.93 cm) and will now also provide the world’s best female players with significant improvements in both accuracy and control. The design is inspired by the event logo and the traditional Chinese colors red and blue. The Match Ball of the FIFA Women’s World CupT China 2007 will be available in retail from 2007 onwards.

    Women’s football is on the rise worldwide. FIFA and adidas, the global leader in football, are firmly committed to contribute to the further development of this beautiful sport wherever it is being played, shared and celebrated. adidas will be the Official Partner, Official Supplier & Official Licensee of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup* and will equip some of the world’s best teams such as reigning FIFA World CupT Champion Germany and host China.

    For any further information, you may contact:

    Tina Mahajan
    Genesis Burson-Marsteller
    Email: tmahajan@genesispr.com
    Tel PBX: + 91 124 4044999; Ext.: 60
    Mobile: +91 9899887789
    Fax: + 91 124 4044744 – 45
     
  • Business Luminary Nandan Nilekani shares his experiences with CNN’s Todd Benjamin in ‘The Boardroom’

    Business Luminary Nandan Nilekani shares his experiences with CNN’s Todd Benjamin in ‘The Boardroom’

    Airtimes: Indian Standard Times
    Tuesday, June 6 at 1830 hrs during World News Asia
    Saturday, June 10 at 1100am during World Business this Week and
    1830 hrs during World News
    Sunday, June 11 at 1930 hrs during World News

     

    THE BOARDROOM is CNN’s new weekly interview segment offering insights into the minds of the world’s top business leaders. The interview segment airs across primetime evening news on WORLD NEWS ASIA and business programming including WORLD BUSINESS TODAY AND BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL. This week, CNN’s Financial Editor, Todd Benjamin interviews Nandan Nilekani, the President and CEO of Indian software giant, Infosys Technologies, on THE BOARDROOM.

     

    Nilekani speaks to Todd Benjamin about his childhood, family and his education and shares his experiences while building the first Indian company to be listed on the NASDAQ.

     

    He also talks about his expeditious journey, with his six partners, which led to the foundation of one of India’s biggest software companies. He proudly attributes his present stature to his middle class upbringing, which enabled him to dream and create a company with the highest standard of ethics, corporate governance and transparency.

     

    While pondering over the prevailing corruption in India, Nilekani talks to THE BOARDROOM about India’s boom, the drive behind his Company’s success and also why he believes India is ‘a good role model for emulation.’

     

    Next up is Brett Yormark, the 39 year old CEO of the Nets Sports and Entertainment, before Chairman of Esquel Group Marjorie Yang speaks to Andrew Stevens in Hong Kong. Finally Todd Benjamin rounds off June in an interview with Dell CEO Kevin Rollins.

     

    THE BOARDROOM goes beyond quarterly earnings and trading updates and focuses instead on what motivates these cognoscente CEOs, their leadership styles and strategies. Todd Benjamin in Europe, Maggie Lake in the U.S. and Andrew Stevens in Asia bring priceless face time with the biggest names in business and the top leaders of the world’s most powerful and influential companies.

  • Animal Planet celebrates World Environment Day on 5 June

    Animal Planet celebrates World Environment Day on 5 June

    Plans Dedicated Full-Day Programming

    New Delhi, June 1st, 2006: Why are so many plants and animals changing their age-old habits? Why are the sandhill cranes migrating from their temperate zones later than normal and returning earlier than expected? Why have the golden toad of Monteverdi and other species disappeared from the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica? To answers these questions and show viewers how they can contribute towards the cause of environment conservation, Animal Planet will present twelve engaging programmes on June 5, the World Environment Day, highlighting global wildlife and environment issues.

    The special 12-hour programming line-up will air on June 5 on Animal Planet from 12 noon to 12 midnight.

    Animals like tiger, panda and dolphin are in danger of extinction across the world. Under threat of fire, habitat destruction, hunting and poaching, environment changes, many other species are becoming endangered. Highlighting the tiger poaching in India, the channel will air an India-specific programme- Tiger Zero. Wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar, the narrator of programme will raise concern over the dwindling tiger population. The temperature in the Arctic region has been rising by as much as one and a half degrees centigrade per decade. The ice cover is reducing posing a threat to the polar bears, seals and penguins living in the region. Animal Planet through its programmes will raise concern over the vanishing population of these animals.

    THE PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
    Return of the Pandas 12 noon
    A part of cooperative agreement between the Chinese government, Animal Planet and National Zoo have bought two pandas to the United States to save this endangered species.

    Elephant Rescue 1:00 pm
    The programme follows the daily joys and troubles of two extraordinary women who have put Thailand on the map of world elephant conservation. Soraida Salwala and Sangduen Chailert used all their money to open the Elephant Nature Park, which now houses more than 35 rescued elephants.

    Jane Goodall’s Return to Gombe 2:00 pm
    This programme talks about Jane Goodall’s conservation work and follows her search for the vanquished frodo. Also see her groundbreaking research, thoughts, beliefs and emotions that she has invested in both wild chimpanzees and protecting primates worldwide.

    Warnings from the Wild 3:00 pm
    The programme highlights the terrifying truth about global warming and its impact on species. By observing changing animal behaviour, scientists try to understand the ongoing global climatic and ecological changing conditions specially those resulting from the human influence in our environment.

    Saving Uganda’s Wildlife 4:00 pm
    Gladys Kalema, chief vet of Uganda Wildlife Authority, is responsible for caring for all of Uganda’s wildlife. From the highly endangered mountain Gorillas in the tranquil Bwindi forest, to the placid Ugandan Kob grazing on the Savannah, Gladys has quite a challenge on her hands. Viewers follow Gladys as she goes about her job, doing anything from darting infected giraffes thundering across the tropical plains to removing snares that cripple chimps in Budongo Forest.

    Wolf: Return to the Wild 5:00 pm
    Wolf haven is a private wolf sanctuary that provides captive breeding and “wilding” conditioning for Mexican Gray wolves. Relocation of wild wolves from wilderness areas is not as difficult as attempting to introduce wolves raised in captivity back to the wild. Viewers will be introduced to this challenge of relocation of Mexican Gray wolves.

    Gorilla Gorilla 6:00 pm
    Gorilla numbers worldwide have been decimated by man’s greed and cruelty and environmental damage caused by incessant African wars, poaching and the rape of the landscape by big businesses. This programme tells the story of a major project to create new gorilla groups by rescuing local orphaned African gorillas, and then by relocating young gorillas reared in England in their natural African habitat.

    Return of the Cheetah 7:00 pm
    Wildlife expert Peter Gros heads to Namibia for an assignment at the Cheetah Conservation Fund – a uniquely ambitious project aimed at safeguarding the world’s fastest sprinter. In an action-packed visit, Peter teams up with Namibia’s ‘Cheetah Lady’, Dr. Laurie Marker, and finds out how science, diplomacy, and a dash of imagination can turn a situation of despair into one of hope.

    The Temple of the Tigers 8:00 pm
    In a small, isolated monastery in northern Thailand, a handful of simple, peace-loving Buddhist monks perform their daily duties – praying, collecting alms and feeding their 10 wild Bengal tigers. The Temple of the Tigers is the remarkable story of a group of 10 monks who have taken on the task of protecting the endangered animals by offering them a home within the walls of their temple.

    Tiger Zero 9:00 pm
    The programme reveals the root cause behind India’s tiger crisis.

    Hunt for the Rarest Whale 10:00 pm
    Nan Hauser has been tracking these prehistoric mammals for a decade, understanding, observing and setting up the world’s first sanctuary off the Cook Islands. Viewers follow the personal quest of Nan, as she journeys to some of the last unspoiled places on Earth. On a mission to unlock new clues to the behaviour of whales and dolphins, her groundbreaking work and dedication to saving the whales of Oceania has shown that one individual can make a difference in helping to stem the tide.

    This World: Tiger Traffic 11:00 pm
    From Siberia to the jungles of Cambodia, army veterans from Chechnya, Afghanistan and Vietnam are taking up arms to protect the tiger. American undercover agent-turned-conservationist Steve Galster recruits army veterans and trains anti-poaching patrols in military tactics. This programme follows Galster and his men as they mastermind a sting to catch a prominent Korean animal dealer, discover a dead tigress in a sadistic snare and secretly film traders selling tiger bones and teeth in a Myanmar market.

    About Animal Planet
    Animal Planet grabs you. The world’s leading animal entertainment brand, Animal Planet reaches 185 million subscribers in 160 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East with programming customized in 24 languages. Offering intrigue, adventure, humour, relationships, life and death, Animal Planet is the only television network on the planet dedicated to people’s fascination with animals. First launched outside of the United States in Europe in 1997, Animal Planet is a joint venture between Discovery Communications and BBC Worldwide in all international regions except the United Kingdom and Italy.

    For further information, please contact:

     

    Praveen Gujjari
    Hanmer&Partners
    Tel: 011- 29214793/94, 98911-36123
    E-mail: praveen@hanmerpr.com

  • Channel 7 unveils its anthem: ‘Karna Hai to Karna Hai’

    New Delhi, June 27th 2006: A song of celebration, a symbol of unity, a mission in harmony, Channel 7’s anthem “Karna Hai to Karna Hai” expresses the passion and zeal driving the channel. The anthem reflects the channel’s positioning statement “Khabar Har Keemat Par” illustrating its desire to showcase news as it is, in true form. This creative initiative by the channel is a first time in the industry.

     

    A unique blend of contemporary and classical music, the song ‘Karna Hai to Karna Hai” is composed by none other than the famous duo of Vishal & Shekhar. Vishal sings the anthem and the lyrics are by the creative team of Brand David. Some of the other compositions by the duo include ‘Dus’, ‘Jhankaar Beats’, and ‘Salaam Namaste’ etc.

     

    “The spirit of the anthem is encouraging and inspiring and gives the editorial team the impetus to achieve their goals under any circumstances. The lyrics epitomises the essence of newsgathering and the commitment of a news reporter whose job demands him to be anywhere, anytime sourcing and reporting news from ground zero across the globe” said Ashutosh, Managing Editor, Channel 7

     

    Sharing his views on the anthem launch, Dilip Venkatraman, Director Marketing said, “This anthem transcends the news genre, it is inspirational and motivational and is applicable in all walks of life, everyday”.

     

    “The vibrancy and the enthusiasm of the channel 7 team was infectious and made my work easy. The lyrics are a blend of this enthusiasm I experienced with the team, the work they do and the commitment they showcased. I wish Channel 7 the very best in their endeavors.” added Vishal Dadlani, Co- Composer & Singer for the anthem.

     

    About Channel 7
    Channel 7 is the Hindi news channel of the TV 18 Network. The channel includes original content that is designed to appeal to its viewers. Channel 7 focuses on building a channel that reflects the moment and engages with viewers over important issues of the day. Hard news is the core offering to keep alive the sharpness of News. Channel 7 promises to deliver Khabar Har Keemat Par!

  • Jasubhai Digital Media announces ‘Business Plan Competition’

    Mumbai, June 28, 2006 Jasubhai Digital Media’s premier technology publication “Digit” has completed five years of publication. The first issue of Digit was published June 2001 and since then, this trend setting magazine has been catering to the needs and demands of IT industry.

    On the eve of completion of five years of publication of Digit, Jasubhai Digital Media has announced Business Plan competition to promote budding entrepreneurs. The Business Plan competition is part of the 5th Annual Special Edition of Digit. The entry form and free Business Plan software to be used for this competition is included in this special issue of Digit. A reader needs to prepare a business plan that is possible and implemental using the Business Plan software provided with the 5th Annual special edition of Digit. On final selection the winners will be given an opportunity to present their business plan to eminent venture capitalist for further discussion.

    NASSCOM and Computer Society India (CSI) have agreed to be a part Jury panel for selecting the winners as they feel the Business Plan competition is an effective tool for tapping and promoting the young talent pool in India and give these gifted individuals an avenue for faster growth.

    Maulik Jasubhai, JDM’s Managing Director & Publisher, said that JDM is very keen to highlight the potential available in India and to provide budding entrepreneurs a platform to show case their talent.

    “Talent is available in abundance in India and we need to promote the talent pool to promote India as a hub of Industrial growth. The five winners of Business Plan competition would be awarded with cash prize of Rs 50,000/- each and an opportunity to discuss their idea with an eminent industrialist. “said Maulik.

    “Any industry thrives on fresh ideas and plans. Business Plan will not only encourage the budding entrepreneurs to believe in their capabilities but also provides an opportunity for venture capitalist to evaluate fresh ideas. It will be a good platform for exchange of ideas between industry and future industrialist,” continued Maulik.

  • This monsoon STAR PLUS showers more stars on the celebrity game show- ‘IDEA PRESENTS JODEE KAMAAL KI’

    June brings an exciting line up of celebrity couples as they battle it out on Idea Presents Jodee Kamaal Ki– every Saturday, 8:00 p.m. only on STAR PLUS !

    STAR PLUS pours more fun & excitement to its viewers’ kitty this June making Saturday evenings an affair to remember! By continuing to add a dash & chutzpah to its popular celebrity game show Idea Presents Jodee Kamaal Ki, the channel will go all out to sparkle up the weekend evenings for the viewers.

    Based on the universal theme of love, companionship and understanding Idea Presents Jodee Kamaal Ki, a unique game-show which gives its viewers a sneak-peek into the real life relationships of their favorite celebrities, will see the coming together of some of the most popular faces while they will relive their moments of truth, joy, despair, agreement or even disagreement on the show.

    With the bright & sizzling month of June round the corner, it will all begin with a bang on Jodee Kamaal Ki with the Nach Baliye special on June 3rd, where Archana Puran Singh-Parmeet Sethi, Rajeshwari-Varun Badola and Poonam Narula-Manish Goel will come neck-to-neck to win the title.

    The excitement will continue to witness upswing as the following specials will line-up the whole month-Cricketer’s special episode that will have Syed Kirmani, Mohinder Amarnath and Srikant along with their spouses. Followed by two TV special episodes which will have Ali Asgar-Siddika, Nikki Aneja-Sonny and Rajiv-Delnaaz Paul in the first and Manoj Bohra-Teejay Sidhu, Gautami-Ram Kapoor, Neeraj-Pooja Rawal Ghai in the last episode of the month.

    So stay tuned and geared to catch all your favorite stars all month long this June on Idea Presents Jodee Kamaal Ki every Saturday, 8:00 p.m. only on STAR PLUS!

  • White Feather Films to make five films this year

    Ace director Sanjay Gupta is all set to produce five films, a couple of which he would also direct with multi faceted talent from across the film industry. Announcing this at a media briefing held at The Club (Andheri-Mumbai) under the aegis of IIFA, Gupta presented the media an opportunity to speak to some of the actors and directors who will be working with in the coming year for his home banner White Feather Films.

     

    Most of the star cast will be in Dubai during the IIFA Weekend and Awards from June 14-16, 2006 to promote the films under the banner of White Feather Films.

     

    Present at the event were Samir Soni, Rohit Roy, Sudhanshu Pandey, Mansi Joshi. Also were seen Meghna Gulzar, Kiron Kher, Arbaaz Khan, Tushar Kapoor, Himesh Reshamiya, Anu Malik, Gul Panang, Shibani Kashyap and Samir Dattani.

  • ‘Roti Kapda aur Mobile’ on Star News a series on the changing face of modern India

    ‘Roti Kapda aur Mobile’ on Star News a series on the changing face of modern India

    ‘Roti Kapda aur Mobile’ on STAR News
    – A series on the changing face of modern India

    ” Series to encapsulate the 15-year Liberalisation story and its social impact from 25 cities around India
    ” 15 segment series to air from June 21st on Desh Videsh

    Mumbai, June 20, 2006: Sprawling malls in Delhi, IT Parks in Bangalore, Cruise liners disembarking in Mumbai, world-class vineyards in Nashik, all show signs of a modern and liberalized India eager to share in the fruits of a new found prosperity. Emerging on the upswing of a second economic revolution from the pre-1991 dark days of the license raj, and the first freedom revolution in 1947, India is today a changed country. It has now emerged as a vibrant free-market democracy capable of flexing its muscles in the global economy – a dynamic story first set in motion with the swearing in of the Narasimha Rao government at the Center on the 21st of June 1991.

    To celebrate this transition and chart its impact on a modern India, STAR News positions itself at the forefront of chronicling this change, and brings you a special series titled ‘Roti Kapda Aur Mobile’ to coincide with the 15th anniversary. The series will focus on the transformation that is unfolding everyday in the cities and towns of India – mills of the old economy making way for the malls of the new era or the impact in the hinterlands where myriads reach for their mobile to catch the latest twist of a long-running soap on TV. The on-ground ‘travelogue’ series will walk through the cities and towns of India to establish the quiet struggle of a billion people for prosperity and dignity. Going beyond the much-trumpeted economic aspect, the series will focus on the sociological impact on changing lifestyles over the last decade and a half and seek to bring out a human story unique to this impact.

    Live the change from Delhi to Jabalpur and from Kolkata to Nashik on Roti Kapda aur Mobile from June 21st on Desh Videsh (5 pm, Mon-Fri) with repeats at 6.45am and 12.45pm on STAR Savera and Khabar Din Bhar, respectively. Only on STAR News!

    ABOUT STAR NEWS
    STAR News, the first Indian news channel, is a joint venture between ABP TV – a 100 % subsidiary of ABP Pvt. Ltd. – and STAR India Pvt. Ltd., two of the biggest brands in Indian media. The Channel is best defined by a fair and balanced approach that combines prompt reporting with insightful analysis of news and current affairs. Living upto its motto of “Aapko Rakhe Aagey’, STAR News is a people’s channel that focuses on relevant news in a cutting-edge format. Since its conception, the Channel has grown to command a viewership of over 20 million Indian homes. Today, STAR News is available in the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia, Central Asia, UK, USA and Australia, making it the first and only Global Indian News Channel.

    For further information, please contact:
    Navin Tauro / Swati Sundareswaran / Daylon D’cruz
    Vaishnavi Corporate Communications;
    Tel: 022 5656 8787 / Fax: 022 5656 8788