ITV

Category: Television

  • Ortel plans to raise Rs 600-700 million

    Ortel plans to raise Rs 600-700 million

    MUMBAI: Ortel Communications Ltd, the leading multi-system operator (MSO) in Orissa, is scouting for investors to raise Rs 600-700 million to fund its expansion plans which include commercial rollout of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

    The company has approached merchant bankers and is even looking at raising funds through a private placement. “We are looking at all options including a mix of equity and debt. Our fund requirement for expansion is Rs 600-700 million,” Ortel Communications promoter Jagi Mangat Panda tells indiantelevision.com.

    Ortel has recently issued redeemable preference shares to Finlay Corporation Ltd. (FCL), an overseas corporate body incorporated in the Bahamas and its subsidiary, of Rs 44 million with 8.50 per cent dividend per annum for a period of five years. FCL has 16 per cent stake in Ortel, sources say.

    While VoIP is a main line of business activity the company wants to enter, other projects designed are digitalisation, expansion to other towns and upgradation to triple play services (voice, data and video).

    Ortel has conducted a successful trial of VoIP telephony and plans to launch it commercially. The company also wants to expand operations from seven to 14 locations in Orissa and increase its broadband subscriber base. Ortel has over 180,000 cable TV and 7,000 data services customers.

    The company holds a stake of below 25 per cent in Orissa TV which runs a local channel OTV with in-house news and current affairs programming. A second channel focuses on local origin entertainment and selected Hindi movies.

    Cable TV service is marketed under the brand name of Skyview Home Cable. Data services are provided under the brand name of Ortel.net. HFC cable networks are designed and constructed with return path capability.

    Ortel’s main problem is to prop up revenues through value-added services in a state where the average revenue per user (ARPU) is more or less flat. Ortel has built and is operating a hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) broadband communications networks to provide cable TV, high speed internet access and possibly telephony services in future. In cities like Bhubaneswar, it is charging a monthly cable TV subscription fee of around Rs 250.

  • Star channels back on cable networks in Kolkata

    Star channels back on cable networks in Kolkata

    MUMBAI: The Star group of channels are back on the cable networks in Kolkata. After Manthan Cable Network, it was the turn of Indian Cable Net (which was bought out by Siticable) to reach an agreement today with Star.

    “Our channels are being carried by Indian Cable Net from today. They have agreed to carry our second bouquet which includes Star One. We have also resolved issues with Mathan and they have cleared our outstandings,” says a Star spokesperson.

    The Star channels were blacked out last month by several cable networks in Kolkata who were protesting against a seven per cent rate hike. Another issue in contention was the imposition of Star’s second bouquet. Cablecom and Purvalaya Communications, however, were carrying the Star channels.

    Star had switched off signals on 15 March to Manthan after claiming outstandings of over Rs 20 million. Following this the last mile operators blacked out carriage of the Star channels, led by the Forum of Cable Operators and Cable Operators Sanjukta, two association bodies of the last mile operators in the city.

  • 14 more TV channels apply for downlink okay

    14 more TV channels apply for downlink okay

    NEW DELHI: Fourteen more TV channels have applied for downlinking permission in India taking the total number to 55 as the deadline shutters down on 11 May.

    According to information posted on the website of the information and broadcasting ministry as of 11 May 1.10 a.m., the likes of ESPN, Star Sports, Reality TV, BBC World, Fashion TV and God TV were amongst those seeking landing rights in India.

    The government had stated all TV channels wishing to be downlinked into India will have to apply for landing rights after fulfilling various norms by 11 May 2006.

    The government had also clarified that from 11 May, all TV channels uplinking from outside India and having applied for registration with the government by that date could be carried on cable networks for the next six months or till the time government decides on their applications.

    The TV channels that have applied, according to the I&B ministry website, till 10 May include TV5 Monde, ESPN, Star Sports, BBC World, Fashion TV (that has applied under the entertainment category), Voyages Television, Miracle Net TV (entertainment), God TV(entertainment), Reality TV (entertainment), ABC Asia Pacific, Zee Arabia, Goal TV-1, Goal TV-2, MGM.

    The channels that sought landing rights earlier include Star Utsav, Star Plus, Star World, Star Gold, Star One, Star Movies, Channel V, Deutsche Welle TV, Angel TV, Hallmark Channel, Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Star Vijay, Sony TV, SET Max, Animax, SET Pix, SAB(Sony), AXN, National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, MTV, Nick,Vh 1, MTV2, Ten Sports, Channel News Asia, B4U Music, B4U Movies, Discovery, Discovery Travel & Living, Animal Planet, Zee Studio, Zee Café, Zee Trendz, CNN International, HBO, POGO, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

    The ministry has informed TV channels that those who have obtained uplinking permission from India before 2 December, 2005 are not required to file with the government for downlinking.

    These channels will also not be required to pay an initial fee of Rs. 500,000 on grant of permission agreement or the annual downlinking fee of Rs. 100,000 per channel.

    However, those TV channels obtaining uplink permission from the government after 2 December, 2005 are required to submit some additional information relating to downlink okay, but are exempt from any processing and annual fee.

  • WorldSpace names Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown as Co-COO

    WorldSpace names Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown as Co-COO

    MUMBAI: The satellite-based digital radio services, WorldSapce Satellite Radio has announced that Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown have been appointed co-chief operating officers for the company.

    Armstrong and Brown will be dividing the company’s six core operational functions along the lines of their professional expertise. Armstrong will oversee WorldSpace ‘s sales, customer care, technology and distribution functions, while Brown will guide the company’s marketing and content departments, and will drive market development activities in Europe, China and other new markets.

    WorldSpace chairman and CEO Noah Samara said, “The appointment of Greg and Sandy represents an important next step in that process. Sharing operational responsibility between two co-COOs will contribute to the management capacity to provide deep focus across our complex business. With two new senior leaders, I believe WorldSpace can achieve the level of detailed focus required to step up our implementation, while maintaining the rapid pace required for execution of our strategy.”

    In June, Armstrong will join WorldSpace following his tenure as Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd executive VP and COO.

    Brown will join WorldSpace early next week. Previously, he has held international leadership roles with a variety of major content companies in the media industry, most recently serving as president and CEO of CNBC Asia Pacific.

    At ESPN, he launched the company’s first operations in Asia and grew the business to over 50 million subscribers with a large presence in India and China. Brown was instrumental in securing key content rights for ESPN (including cricket in India) as well as operating ESPN’s joint venture with NewsCorp’s StarTV.

    Prior to his Asia-focused roles at ESPN and CNBC, Brown oversaw all international television sales at the National Basketball Association (NBA) International Ltd.

    Armstrong and Brown will take over the duties previously held by Andy Ras-Work who will provide transition support to the incoming executives before pursuing other interests.

    Noah Samara further said, “We appreciate Andy’s contribution to our development over the past four years and his willingness to aid in an efficient transfer of responsibility. We collectively wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.”

  • ECB launches broadband TV channel

    ECB launches broadband TV channel

    MUMBAI: The Indian cricket board may be making noises about launching its own television channel but it is its British counterpart that has gone ahead and “walked the talk”. The England and Wales Cricket Board today launched its official broadband TV service, ECBtv, coinciding with the start of the first npower Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.

    The ECB has signed a three-year deal with digital rights company, Premium TV, to produce the broadband channel – as an addition to ecb.co.uk, according to the board website.

    In addition to exclusive interviews, the ECBtv console will stream live video coverage of all home npower Test matches and NatWest one-day internationals to identified territories in Europe, South and Central America, Japan and Africa, which are not covered by current ECB television deals.

    ECBtv users can also access live audio commentary on all England’s home internationals, with BBC Radio’s Test Match Special being relayed through the channel.

    The ECBtv console is a key development for the ECB, which sees broadband as a crucial platform for cricket in England and Wales to build on the popularity enjoyed by the sport during the npower Ashes series in 2005.

    The ECB will also be encouraging England players to create their own content for the website.

    Also embedded in the ECBtv channel will be a searchable video archive (SVA) that allows fans to view extended highlights of England’s classic moments on home soil, such as great matches, innings and wickets from as far back as 1970 – meaning classic moments such as Botham’s Ashes in 1981 can also be included.

    Another feature of ECBtv will be the ‘Active Zone’, where fans will be able watch tutorials on all key aspects of the game from England players past and present, and see video clips of key grassroots initiatives such as NatWest CricketForce 2006.

    It will also house ecb.co.uk’s own multimedia archive of video and audio clips, bringing continuing coverage of all aspects of the game outside of the international arena.

    Premium TV will work alongside the ECB’s broadcast partners to ensure that the online broadcasts are geo-blocked in areas where any conflict with TV broadcast deals exists.

    Oliver Slipper, CEO of Premium TV, said: “The ECB signing is yet another example of how PTV can help sports organisations exploit their digital rights by creating a unique service for a very popular platform.

    “It also demonstrates how digital rights deals complement rather than compromise TV deals.”

  • Worldspace Q12006 revenues up 35% to $3.5 million

    Worldspace Q12006 revenues up 35% to $3.5 million

    MUMBAI: For the first quarter of 2006, satellite radio player Worldspace reported revenues of approximately $3.5 million, representing a 35 per cent increase compared with revenues of approximately $2.6 million for the first quarter of 2005.

    Subscription revenue doubled to approximately $1.6 million for the first quarter of 2006 compared with subscription revenue of approximately $0.8 million for the first quarter of 2005, the company said in an official release.

    Worldspace recorded a net loss for the first quarter of 2006 of $29.2 million, or $0.79 per share, compared with a net loss of $9.2 million, or $0.40 per share for the first quarter of 2005. Sequentially, the net loss improved from the fourth quarter 2005 results of $33.2 million, or $0.90 per share. Worldspace had an EBITDA (earnings before interest income, interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization) loss of $31.2 million for the first quarter of 2006, compared with EBITDA of $1.5 million for the first quarter of 2005, and an EBITDA loss of $44.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, the release adds.

    The company said it finished the first quarter of 2006 with 153,437 subscribers. The Company added 38,131 subscribers in the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 109 per cent over the 18,233 subscribers added in same quarter of 2005. In India, the Company had 111,723 subscribers at the end of the first quarter of 2006, up 50 per cent from 74,574 at the end of the fourth quarter of 2005 and a five-fold increase from 21,730 at the end of the first quarter of 2005, it said in a release.

    At the end of the first quarter of 2006, Worldspace had rolled out its satellite radio services in ten cities in India – Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Kolkata. It also signed Indian music impresario AR Rahman as a brand ambassador in India.

    Globally, Worldspace introduced three new programming channels, including Fox Sports Radio, and Ranin and Min Zaman, the latter two targeted to listeners in the Middle East, bringing the total number of channels broadcast on Worldspace’s global system to 223 by the end of the first quarter of 2006.

  • Yahoo joins forces with Telemundo for new website

    Yahoo joins forces with Telemundo for new website

    MUMBAI: Yahoo Inc. has partnered with Telemundo to form a co-branded web site, Yahoo Telemundo. Its content primarily targets the growing U.S. Hispanic audience. This new website, will replace Spanish-language internet portals previously operated by both companies.

    Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will merge staff and share advertising revenue, but neither will make any equity investment in the other. However, the details of the profit split were not disclosed.

    According to NBC Universal COO Randy Falco, “This merger provides us with an excellent platform to position Telemundo for the future.”

    Yahoo Telemundo will include content from Telemundo programming including sports, music and entertainment, directed towards Hispanics through Spanish-language, bilingual and English-language content sections.

    The companies are banking on higher advertising revenue from the merger to allow advertisers to extend their reach to the estimated 11.5 million Hispanic population in the United States.

    However, Spanish-language versions of Yahoo’s online service that cater to international markets will not be cobranded, Yahoo said.

    “This partnership is a natural evolution of the larger strategy Telemundo and its digital media team have been developing during the last eight months, a strategy that is strongly anchored on providing relevant original programming to the U.S. Hispanic consumers through multiple platforms,” said Telemundo president Don Browne. “We looked for a partner with superior audience reach, a respected brand, excellent technology and a shared vision of where the business is going. Yahoo! definitely represents all these.”

    A unit of NBC Universal Television Group, Telemundo Communications Group Inc. is a Spanish-language television network that reaches 93 percent of U.S. Hispanic households in 142 markets through its 16 owned-and-operated stations, 36 broadcast affiliates and nearly 684 cable affiliates.

  • Worldspace satellite radio to launch in Italy

    Worldspace satellite radio to launch in Italy

    BANGALORE: Worldspace satellite radio announced that WorldSpace Italia S.p.A. has received approval from the Italian ministry of communications to launch a subscription satellite radio service in Italy.

    With this authorization, the ministry has granted WorldSpace Italia the right to provide a subscription-based satellite radio and data service to consumers in Italy, and to use the frequency band 1479.5-1492 MHz for the operation of the corresponding hybrid satellite/terrestrial network.

    WorldSpace Italia anticipates launching the satellite digital radio and data service to portable and vehicular devices in 2007, using one satellite already in orbit, and a terrestrial gap-filler network to be rolled out in all major cities throughout Italy.

    WorldSpace Italia S.p.A. is a majority-owned subsidiary of Worldspace’s European holding company, Viatis Satellite Radio. WorldSpace Italia’s other partner is New Satellite Radio S.r.l., an Italian company whose primary shareholder is Class Editori S.p.A., an Italian financial, media and broadcast corporation based in Milan.

    According to an official release, New Satellite Radio, which holds a 35 per cent interest in WorldSpace Italia, has been instrumental in obtaining the Italian regulatory authorization and is expected to play an integral role in operational execution of the service in Italy, including distribution arrangements, such as OEM partnerships, content supply and acquisition and marketing.

    WorldSpace Italia intends to start rolling out this complementary network as soon as its installation plan, currently under finalization, is approved by the Ministry. At the service’s maturity, subscribers in Italy will have access to approximately 50 channels of diversified sports, talk and commercial-free music programming, the release adds.

    “We are very pleased to receive these authorizations from the Italian Ministry of Communications for the launch of our service,” says WorldSpace, Inc. chairman & CEO Noah Samara. “We look forward to working closely with our partner, New Satellite Radio S.r.l., to implement our service and establish a new generation of WorldSpace subscribers across Italy. Italy is an attractive market for us. Our research shows it to be one of the two top markets for satellite radio in Europe.”

    According to Samara, the strategy has been to roll out a European service on a sequential, country-by-country basis. “Our goal was to obtain our first terrestrial authorization in one country in 2006. We have accomplished this in Italy, which we consider to be the best near-term market for a mobile satellite radio service. We will continue to seek similar approvals in the rest of Europe to achieve our goal of a pan-European satellite radio service.”

    “We welcome the opportunity to partner with WorldSpace at this exciting time for satellite radio in Italy,” says CEO and director of New Satellite Radio S.r.L. and board member of Class Editori S.p.A. Luca Panerai. “We are confident that coupling Class Editori’s extensive Italian media experience and broadcast capabilities with WorldSpace’s technology and unique platform offerings will provide a first-of-its kind listener experience in Italy. The authorization also paves the way for the Italian car manufacturing industry to be the first in Europe to provide digital satellite radio service.”

    Italy’s population is more than 58 million and nearly two-thirds of these are within the target age demographic for satellite radio service.

  • Zoom, Reliance in interactive deal for Glam Awards

    Zoom, Reliance in interactive deal for Glam Awards

    MUMBAI: Lifestyle and glamour channel Zooms goes interactive. In a unique tie-up with Reliance, Zoom’s first Glam Awards can be viewed by subscribers of Reliance World.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on the initiative, Zoom’s national head, marketing and sales, MK Anand said, “The Glam Awards is a signature event showcasing that glam in India has finally arrived. Interactive Marketing has always been high on Zoom’s agenda, and the tie-up with Reliance is yet another achievment on that front.

    “In the first phase of this tie- up, we had partnered with Reliance for a contest prior to the Glam Awards where subscribers voted for the ‘Best Glam Music Video’. They could download the full music videos selected in this category and vote for the best video. The winner in this contest was a special invitee to the Glam Awards, held recently in Mumbai. Details of the contest were aired on Zoom. Now, in the second phase, we are sharing content for the ‘Curtain Raiser’ and the ‘Glam Awards’ will be telecast on Zoom on 14 May at 9 00 pm.”

    Zoom is the first entertainment channel that will now be included in the Reliance Mobile TV bouquet. So far the only channels who have been in the bouquet have been news channels Aaj Tak, NDTV, CNBC and Times Now.

    Saying that for Reliance, this was a WAP tie up for its subscribers, Anand adds,”We are essentially targeting the upwardly mobile viewers, the imagery that can be downloaded is targeted to the youth from 15 to 34 years who also constitute our target audience. There is, therefore, a lot of synergy with Reliance.”

    “We are redefining the marketing activities by going beyond just print, online and ground initiatives for the Glam Awards. Glamour is also about high technology so this is a step in that direction. The time lag between the airing of the Awards on 14 May and being able to download the special clips it on the cell is just a few minutes,” says Anand.

    The first Glam Awards can be viewed by 5 million subscribers of Reliance World. Whether it is Kareena thanking her “best friend’ on stage or John and Bipasha’s very evident real life chemistry at the awards – it will now be accessible to the Reliance world customers. Snippets such as memorable moments, terrific performances and acceptance speeches will be content that Reliance users can avail.

    The first annual Zoom Glam Awards were held in Mumbai on 30 April.

  • Zee expands South presence with Zee Kannada launch

    Zee expands South presence with Zee Kannada launch

    BANGALORE: Zee Group launched its much anticipated Kannada channel Zee Kannada on 11 May. The 24-hour channel hit the airwaves at 5 am.

    In an official release, Zee South said the new channel was slated to capture the needs, moods, sentiments and aspirations of Kannadigas. Zee Kannada is the second south Indian language channel that Zee is launching after Zee Telugu, which was launched in May 2005.

    Says ZTL director Punit Goenka, “It’s a real delight to be in Bangalore, Zee Kannada is a tribute to the spirit of “Kannadigas”. As Karnataka happens to be the gateway of South India, it will be our constant endeavor to make it the most admired channel in South. We promise to deliver you best service and quality programs throughout our transmission and aspire to be the number one Kannada channel within an year.”

    Zee was seen promoting the launch through outdoor advertising and direct contact programs with viewers across Karnataka. Kannadigara Kanmani will be the tagline for Zee Kannada.

    Speaking on the initiative, Zee South channels head Ajay Kumar offers, “The Southern region has always been our priority. Launch of Zee Kannada is in continuance with our Zee South initiative. This is the first time in the television history that a channel, whose programs are fine tuned as per the viewer’s feedback, is launched.”

    Zee Kannada business head Venkat Giridhar adds, “Zee Kannada is a dream come true for us .We are highly grateful to the viewers across Karnataka whose feedback has been of immense help in deciding on the content and quality of our programmes. We are sure that our people of Karnataka will be proud to see the channel of their choice.”