ITV

Category: Television

  • Janmat managing company files for IPO

    Janmat managing company files for IPO

    MUMBAI: Broadcast Initiatives Ltd, the Sri Adhikari Brothers promoted company through which Janmat news and views channel was launched, has decided to tap the capital market.

    The company filed a Draft Red Herring Prospectus for an IPO. Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd. is already listed on the stock exchange.

    Broadcast Initiatives Ltd. proposes to issue 85,50,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each for cash at a premium to be decided through the book building process. The issue would constitute 44.27 per cent of the fully diluted post issue equity capital of the company. Post-issue, the promoter holding would be 55.73 per cent.

    The scrip will be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Allianz Securities LTD would be the lead manager for the issue.

    According to the draft prospectus, the money raised will be used to partly finance construction of a studio, and investment in infrastructure for Janmat channel, apart from other purposes.

    For the purchase of land and construction of the studio, the company intends to use Rs 96 million from the proceeds of the IPO. An investment of Rs 415.4 million has been estimated towards purchase of production, post production and broadcast equipments. The company also intends to prepay part of the term loan together with prepayment charges by utilising Rs. 250 million from the issue proceeds.Apart from Janmat, Broadcast Initiatives plans to launch a 24-hour Marathi general entertainment channel – Mi Marathi – through a subsidiary, Sri Adhikari Brothers Media Limited.

  • Aventail Expands India Distribution with Select Technologies

    Aventail Expands India Distribution with Select Technologies

    Select Technologies to Support Aventail’s Growing SSL VPNs sales and support

    Bangalore, 30th May, 2006 – Leading SSL VPN product company Aventail Corporation (www.aventail.com) is expanding its distribution in India through a new agreement with Select Technologies, a leading solution provider in the country with more than 5,000 customers. Select Technologies will provide sales and support to Aventail’s growing clientele, which includes Wipro, Tesco, Marico, iGATE, ING Vyasa, and i-flex, both directly and through their large channel partner network across India. Together, Aventail, Select, and system integrators will offer a three-level support system.

    “With security being the top priority for enterprise and SMB customers, an affordable solution with top class security features and protection is the requirement today,” said Mr. Sunil Pillai; Business Head, Select Technologies. “Aventail’s leading technology coupled with Select’s expertise in providing innovative, cutting-edge solutions for Information Protection and Management domain make this relationship a strong one,” he added.

    “Select has a good history of making brands successful in India , and they have the required experience and expertise to carry Aventail in their portfolio,” said Mr. Ajay Kumar, Country Sales Manager for Aventail in India . “Aventail is leading the market in providing enterprises secure remote access, and Select’s strong channel network will help us increase our penetration and customer base across India.”

    Aventail’s SSL VPN is a scalable, enterprise class, clientless solution based on Aventail’s proven Smart SSL VPN platform. Aventail’s clustering and high availability support with load-balancing is an ideal solution for hundreds or thousands of users. The secure application platform is designed to provide practical, easy-to-use anywhere access to Web, client/server, and file shares from any device combined with simple manageability and usability. All of this makes it a clear alternative to IPSec-based VPNs. Many of Aventail’s customers worldwide are replacing legacy IPSec solutions with the Aventail SSL VPN in order to have one solution for all remote access scenarios.

    About Select Technologies

    Select Technologies is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of WeP Peripherals Limited (WeP). Select Technologies provides innovative Information Protection & Management Solutions and Services to Large Enterprises, Corporates and SMEs and is a ‘One Stop Solution House’ for market leading Information Protection and Management solutions. Select specializes in providing innovative and effective world class solutions through a strong and dedicated team of qualified and trained professionals to provide support services and training to partners and end users. Select conducts business through more than 238 NSI, RSI, Solution Providers & channel partners across the country focused on Information Protection and Management business and sustains relationship with over 5000 customers. Headquartered in Bangalore, Select has offices across the metros and major cities of the country. For more information, please visit: www.select-technologies.net

    About Aventail
    Aventail is the best-of-breed remote-access company. Aventail delivered the first SSL VPN solution in 1997 and today is a market leader, delivering the easiest to use and control remote-access solution. Aventail Smart SSL VPN appliances provide users with transparent, clientless access to more applications from more devices via any network environment. For network managers, Aventail delivers a single secure access gateway for all users, internal and external, to all network resources with complete security. With more than two million end users around the globe, Aventail is the SSL VPN of choice among mid to large-sized organizations worldwide, Some of Aventail’s customers in India include Wipro, Tesco, Marico, iGATE, ING Vyasa, i-flex, Times of India and ITC. For more information, go to www.aventail.com.

    Aventail, Aventail ST, Aventail Smart Access, Aventail Smart Tunneling, Aventail EPC, Aventail OnDemand, Aventail Connect, Aventail Secure Collaboration, Aventail EX-2500, EX-1500, Aventail EX-750, and their respective logos are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Aventail Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned for identification purposes only.

    Note: The information in Aventail press releases is accurate and current only as of the date posted. Aventail does not update the information once the release has been issued. To the extent any press release contains information that is not historical fact, that information is considered forward-looking. Aventail’s results may differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

  • DirecTV inks deal with GCC for ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and World Cup 2007

    DirecTV inks deal with GCC for ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and World Cup 2007

    MUMBAI: Cricket fever will soon grip the US! The direct-broadcast satellite provider DirecTV has reached an agreement with Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) to broadcast two International Cricket Council (ICC) events — the ICC Champions Trophy, to be held in India in October 2006 and the ICC Cricket World Cup, to be played in the West Indies in March 2007.

    Television rights to the two ICC events have been acquired by DirecTV on a non-exclusive basis. DirecTV’s acquisition of international cricket rights has been part of an effort to expand its programming services for the diverse ethnic population within the United States.

    “These are the most prestigious cricket events in the world, and we are proud to offer them to DirecTV customers for the first time ever,” said DirecTV Inc VP International Aaron McNally.

    “With these ICC events and with exclusive rights to six of the ten test-playing ICC members as part of our CricketTicket package, we are cementing our position as the leading distributor of televised cricket content in the United States.”

    News Corp owns approximately 36 per cent in DirecTV. The pricing and packaging for the two events will be announced at a later date, according to an official release.
    “Our agreement with DirecTV is great news for cricket in the United States of America and for the ICC,” said ICC president Ehsan Mani.

    “DirecTV’s coverage means people who might not ordinarily be exposed to cricket will get the chance to watch it. And we hope the opportunity to see the world’s best players in the world’s best tournament, the ICC Cricket World Cup, will lead to a significant increase in the number of people interested in the game in the United States, a country which has tremendous potential for growth in cricketing terms.”

    “We are extremely grateful to DirecTV for their support and look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with them,” added Mani.

    GCC managing director Ian Frykberg said, “Global Cricket Corporation looks forward to working with DirecTV at the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 later this year and at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 next year.”

    Cricket is extraordinarily popular among populations from South Asia, West Indies and many other parts of the world. Since late 2004, DirecTV has been offering customers access to cricket matches via the DirecTV CricketTicket package, the first-ever, year-long subscription TV package for international cricket.

    All other international programming is being offered through DirecTV’s WorldDirect platform, which features 39 channels that deliver a wide variety of new programming in multiple foreign languages, including Russian, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Italian and Ukrainian, to underserved ethnic markets throughout the United States.

    DirecTV customers will need to use a WorldDirect services satellite dish that is capable of receiving both international and English-language programming. In some markets, customers who subscribe to a local channels package will require a second smaller dish.

  • TV18 to allocate 3 million shares for Rs 2 billion QIP issue

    TV18 to allocate 3 million shares for Rs 2 billion QIP issue

    MUMBAI: Television Eighteen India Ltd. is, in its qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue, allocating 3.08 million shares at a price of Rs 650 per equity share.

    The company is raising Rs 1.99 billion through QIP, TV18 said in a statement. Indiantelevision had earlier reported that TV18 had mandated HSBC to raise this amount which would be used to fund the company’s expansion plans.

    The QIP committee of the board of Television Eighteen India Ltd met on Thursday to approve the QIP proposal

  • American Idol Hicks signs with 19 Recordings

    American Idol Hicks signs with 19 Recordings

    MUMBAI: The 2006 winner of American Idol Taylor Hicks has signed a recording deal with Simon Fuller and 19 Recordings Limited, in conjunction with legendary music man Clive Davis, chairman of BMG US and Arista Records.

    The finale on 24 May was the most successful season of American Idol with over 35 million viewers tuning into the finale.
    The 29 year old Alabama native, joins the ranks of other idols that have gone on to have outstanding music careers under the guidance of Davis. Previous Idol winners and runner ups have sold a staggering 33 million records, which includes music from Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice.

    The first single from Hicks includes the original Idol composition, “Do I Make You Proud,” sung during the final round of voting and again during the finale. The single also includes his rendition of the Doobie Brothers classic, “Takin’ It To The Streets,” from the American Idol season five encores CD. The single will be available in-stores and through digital outlets on 13 June.

    Hicks’ legion of loyal followers dubbed the “soul patrol” and fans all across the country can expect a full length album from Hicks later this year.

  • BBC, British Council launch 10th annual international radio playwriting competition

    BBC, British Council launch 10th annual international radio playwriting competition

    MUMBAI: BBC World Service and the British Council have launched their tenth annual International Radio Playwriting Competition.

    Writers who are new to radio globally are invited to submit an original 60-minute radio play on a subject of their choice. The competition, which has no age limit, is open to anyone living outside the UK and closes on Monday 30 April 2007.

    This year author and novelist Doris Lessing is among the judges. BBC World Service Drama executive producer Marion Nancarrow said, “Last year nearly 1,000 budding writers from 80 countries entered the competition and we’re hoping that even more writers from even more countries will enter this year.

    “This competition is one of the most exciting events at World Service Drama, as it provides us with an opportunity to connect with our audience and draws on a vast, untapped resource of writing talent from around the world.

    “The best thing is that it’s open to everyone. We receive entries from experienced novelists and writers from theatre, film and television as well as plays from writers with no experience at all who are submitting their first script. Previous winners have gone on to gain further commissions for World Service Drama, so this could be the next step to a very successful career.”

    The International Radio Playwriting Competition has two first prizes. One awards the best play by a writer with English as their first language, and the second for the best play by a writer with English as their second language.

    They each receive £2,500 and a trip to London to see their play being recorded for broadcast on World Service in the World Drama slot. An additional six prizes of a digital or shortwave radio will be awarded to the best plays submitted from South Asia, Asia, Africa, Middle East; America, Europe, Russia and the Caucasus.

    Further information on the International Radio Playwriting Competition and essential tips from established radio dramatists Mike Walker and Marcy Kahan can be found online at bbcworldservice.com/competitions, where writers can also download an entry form.

    An entry form can also be obtained by sending a request by email to intradioplaycomp@bbc.co.uk or one can be collected from their local British Council office.

  • Al Jazeera International ropes in veteran scribe Ibrahim Helal

    Al Jazeera International ropes in veteran scribe Ibrahim Helal

    MUMBAI: Veteran journalist Ibrahim Helal has been appointed deputy managing director news and programmes of the soon to be launched news and current affairs channel Al Jazeera International.

    Helal is a former editor-in-chief at Al Jazeera’s Arabic language channel and most recently served as a project director on the Middle East North Africa dialogue programme for the BBC World Service Trust.

    Prior to his joining Al Jazeera International, he worked in London for the BBC’s Arabic service.

    “Having Ibrahim join us at the English-language channel not only further professionalises our staff with a top-flight newsman, it also solidifies us as a family built around the core spirit of Al Jazeera,” said Al Jazeera managing director Nigel Parsons.

    Helal will oversee the Middle East desk and ensure close working relations with the Arabic news channel. “Ibrahim will have a quality-control responsibility to assure that news content across the channels is consistent—and consistently good,” said Parsons.

    Al Jazeera’s English-channel promises agenda-free news from every corner of the globe carried across fibre-optic HDTV technology. The channel plans to launch later this year.

  • Yahoo!’s Fifa World Cup site got six million visits last month

    Yahoo!’s Fifa World Cup site got six million visits last month

    MUMBAI: The football Fifa fever is growing in leaps and bounds globally! comScore has announced the results of an analysis of the worldwide online audience for the official World Cup soccer tournament Web site hosted by Yahoo! at fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Yahoo! is a Fifa partner.

    Last month, comScore Networks, which deals with digital media measurement, recorded 5.7 million unique visitors to the site, up 35 per cent from 4.2 million in March. The tournament is set to start from 9 June in Germany.

    comScore says that the figures demonstrate the worldwide popularity of the World Cup and the potential of the Internet as a powerful marketing channel to reach this global audience.

    Europe contributed the greatest proportion of visitors with 51 per cent, or almost 3 million people visiting the site from European countries. The next highest region was Asia Pacific, contributing 17 per cent of the total visitors (nearly one million people) and reflecting the strength of the sport in the area.

    Traffic from Latin America represented 12 per cent of the total, with the popularity of the sport offsetting the lower internet penetration in many of the region’s countries. Only 10 per cent of the visitors came from North America, highlighting the still limited popularity of professional soccer in the US.

    The global interest in the World Cup, along with the complex marketing opportunities associated with the tournament, were emphasised by the visitation to the local language World Cup sites created by Yahoo!. In addition to the English language site, the German, Spanish, Japanese, French, Portuguese and Italian language versions all received significant traffic during April.

  • Gearhouse Broadcast prepares for Fifa World Cup with Tektronix equipment

    Gearhouse Broadcast prepares for Fifa World Cup with Tektronix equipment

    MUMBAI: Tektronix, which provides test, measurement and monitoring solutions, has announced that Gearhouse Broadcast, a UK rental, sales, project solutions and systems integration company, has selected an extensive range of Tektronix waveform monitors.

    The aim is to provide content verification capabilities in support of the 2006 World Cup. Gearhouse Broadcast will serve as a principal partner in providing technical production facilities to the host broadcaster in 12 cities throughout Germany for the 2006 World Cup.

    The company which provides up-to-date digital technology, experience and expertise for major events, purchased a combined total of more than 50 Tektronix WFM700M and WFM601E Waveform Monitors for use during the broadcasts.

    Gearhouse Broadcast MD Eamonn Dowdall says, “The World Cup broadcasts require an immense amount of verification and restoration, and we’re proud to rely on the gold standard technology included in the Tektronix WFM range.

    “The Tektronix WFM700 Series offers the monitoring capabilities needed in the production, post-production, distribution and transmission of high-definition (HD) and
    standard-definition (SD) digital video content. It is basically everything a broadcaster needs for these applications in one package.”

    Tektronix video sales manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa Nicki Fisher says, “Monitoring digital video and audio quality continually presents new challenges to broadcasters everywhere.

    “Ensuring high quality and high reliability is imperative for a broadcast as critical as the 2006 World Cup. Tektronix is thrilled to be chosen by a world-class broadcast operation for an equally world-class event. Gearhouse’s choice of Tektronix is a dynamic endorsement of our technology.”

    The Tektronix WFM700 Series multi-format, multi-standard waveform monitors offer the monitoring and measurement capabilities needed in the production, post-production, distribution, and transmission of high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) digital video and audio content.

    With patented Diamond and Arrowhead gamut monitoring displays, Lightning display, session and status screens, a user-configurable multi-mode display, and eye and jitter measurements configurable for full field or line select, the WFM700 Series provides users with tools to enable quick error detection.

    The WFM601A is an operational monitor useful to the graphics workstation, telecine or camera setup operator. The WFM601E extends the WFM601 platform to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the digital transport layer and is used in digital production and master control operating centres. The WFM601M offers all of the video features of the
    WFM601A and WFM601E, and provides data analysis capabilities for the installation and maintenance engineer.

  • Cable TV channel sues Time Warner, Comcast

    Cable TV channel sues Time Warner, Comcast

    MUMBAI: Heathrow based The America Channel (TAC), which is yet to start beaming, has sued cable conglomerates Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. in an attempt block their $16.9 billion planned acquisition of bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp.

    A startup niche cable channel, TAC has filed the lawsuit because the two cable companies have allegedly refused to sign carriage deals with it.

    In its lawsuit TAC claims that the deal violates federal antitrust laws and will reduce competition in the cable television industry.

    Comcast and Time Warner last year jointly agreed to acquire Adelphia and divide its systems among the two of them.

    The lawsuit accuses Time Warner and Comcast of scheming to monopolize local cable systems and of using their monopoly to refuse to deal with independent networks such as TAC, thus making it virtually impossible for unaffiliated networks to get access to cable subscribers.

    The lawsuit also accuses the duo of price-fixing and bid-rigging in their submission of a joint bid instead of competing against each other to acquire Adelphia’s assets.

    A Time Warner spokesperson was quoted in a media report as saying, “The allegations in this complaint are entirely frivolous, and we are confident that this matter will not impede closing of the Adelphia transaction.”

    TAC attorney Joseph Alioto, on the other hand, said that the two big operators freeze out independent channels like TAC because the independents produce programmes that compete against their own offerings.

    Alioto also said that besides seeking an injunction to block the Adelphia deal, TAC would also be seeking monetary compensation of around $1 billion.

    TAC plans to launch late this year and reached an agreement in April with telecommunications company BT Americas that will make it available to 50 million homes in Europe and the Middle East with satellite TV.

    The federal trade commission has already reviewed the case on anti-trust concerns. According to a media report, Alioto has asked for a jury trial and is hopeful of having the case heard before the deal is scheduled to be completed on 31 July.

    As per the report, if the deal fails to close by 31 July, Comcast and Time Warner could walk away and perhaps collect a $440 million termination fee.

    Founded in January 2003, TAC describes itself in the suit as “a new 24-hour, seven-day-a-week niche entertainment programming channel that explores and celebrates America in the 21st Century.”