ITV

Category: Television

  • BBC introduces documentary shows for UK kids

    BBC introduces documentary shows for UK kids

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that its children’s programme Newsround, which it says is still the only dedicated daily news service for children in the UK, is to screen Newsround Investigates.

    This is a half-hour documentarie series and takes an in-depth look at issues affecting children’s lives. It kicks off next month.

    Newsround Investigates is a half-hour documentary format for children on BBC One and, for the first time in its 34-year history, the award-winning programme has been extended to 30 minutes.

    In the first programme, Lizo Mzimba and leading criminologist David Wilson take a look at the alarming scale of arson attacks committed by schoolchildren.

    This documentary talks to some of the youngsters who commit arson, looks at some of the reasons why they do it and examines the consequences of their actions.

    Every year, around 90,000 children in England and Wales are affected by arson. Every week, there are around 20 fires in schools and most of them are started by children with some connection to the school.

    School fires traditionally happen when schools are empty, particularly in the summer holidays. But increasing numbers of these fires are now occurring in school hours.

    Newsround Investigates speaks to children whose schools have been burnt down, children who have been injured in fires and children who have deliberately started fires.

    It also visits various anti-arson schemes across the country, such as the first-ever fire fighter embedded in a school.

    The show also questions why less than 200 schools in England and Wales have sprinkler systems when the problem of fires in schools is so great.

  • Men’s handball Championship does well in TV ratings across Europe

    Men’s handball Championship does well in TV ratings across Europe

    MUMBAI: The Handball Euro 2006 which took place in Switzerland was the most extensively covered and viewed tournament in the history of Men’s European Handball Championships.

    More than 760 million cumulative viewers followed 707 hours of televised event coverage. The event took place from 26 January to 5 February this year and is the European Handball Federation’s (EHF) premier event.

    The championship was transmitted by close to 120 television and radio broadcasters worldwide and benefited from approximately 800 accredited journalists, photographers and technicians to deliver record media coverage.

    This result is based on an independent programme analysis including information provided by broadcast partners worldwide. The report was compiled by the German communication research agency Sport+Markt AG on behalf of Infront Sports & Media AG, the EHF’s television and marketing partner.

    The is seen as a conservative estimate for the event’s total coverage. This is due to several key markets — such as Russia, Turkey, Argentina and Brazil — not being able to provide audited audience data to meet the full criteria of the study. If the unaudited data from these markets were taken into account, the total figure of 760 million would increase to an estimated 850 million cumulative audience.

    The total transmission time grew by 20 per cent and the cumulative audience figures increased by more than 30 per cent (based on the audited cumulative audience) compared to the last Men’s Championship in 2004.

    The 2006 television report demonstrated that coverage reached virtually every European country. The victory of the French team over Spain in the final match benefitted from significant news coverage around the world. Extensive television coverage was also reported from countries not represented in the competition, e.g. Romania (25 matches), Belgium (16), FYR Macedonia (15), and Sweden (10). Live broadcasts of Euro 2006 matches were also shown in the Middle East and North Africa. Delayed transmissions and/or news coverage was available in several Asian and South American territories.

    The official tournament website, www.euro06.com/, which was jointly provided by the EHF, the Swiss Handball Federation and Infront, provided fans with extensive information about the event, participating nations and players. It received 74.6 million page impressions from the beginning of January through 5 February. The result more than tripled those compared to the 2004 event website – another tournament record.

    EHF president Tor Lian said, “We are proud of our deep-rooted partnership with Infront Sports & Media. It dates back many years and has played an absolute crucial role in the development of the EHF, especially in terms of the growth of its flagship event, the European Handball Championships. The innovative and close-knit partnership has made the European Handball Championships into a leading event on the sporting market, as the figures underline.

    “The 2006 Men’s European Championship, held in Switzerland in January, turned a corner and set a precedent for international, indoor sporting events. The EHF will continue its work with Infront for the next period to encompass the 2008 and 2010 European Championships to reach even greater heights.”

    Infront has acted as the EHF’s exclusive commercial partner for almost thirteen years. In 2004, both partners renewed their cooperation until 2010.

    The EHF and Infront are currently preparing to broadcast the Women’s European Championship from 7 to 17 December 2006 in Sweden, where TV4 Sweden will be acting as host broadcaster and offering live signals for all 47 games.

  • Zee Sports completes deals with foreign broadcasters for Abu Dhabi series

    Zee Sports completes deals with foreign broadcasters for Abu Dhabi series

    MUMBAI: Zee Sports has reached agreements with major international broadcasters and radio players for the DLF Cup, India-Pakistan One Day International series. The entire multimedia rights for all the major television territories have been finalised.

    For Pakistan, Zee Sports has signed agreements with PTV for their terrestrial network and on Ten Sports for C&S homes. Hum FM will provide the live radio commentary in Pakistan and the Middle East. In Singapore the matches will be available on Star Hub. For the Malaysian territory, Astro All Asia Network will broadcast the two-match series.

    For the USA, the channel has entered into agreement with Echostar Satellite for the DLF Cup. Zee will leverage its international network in the United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East and South Africa, where the matches will be broadcast through its own Zee International feeds in the respective countries.

    Commenting on the deals, Zee Sports business head Himanshu Mody offers, “We are pleased to enter into agreements with various international broadcasters for telecast of this series between India and Pakistan. Our internal syndication team has been able to do a very effective job in a very short span of time.”

    Zee Sports has acquired the global media rights for all matches that India will play in non-ICC member countries. As part of the deal 25 matches will be played over a period of 5 years with an average of 5 matches per year. The global media rights comprise television, radio and Internet rights. The rights are for a period of five years from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2011.

  • China tightens control over international TV news

    MUMBAI: China’s broadcasting watchdog State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has issued a notice banning its local broadcasters from using news footage taken from foreign satellite programmes and international news material acquired from channels other than state-run.

    SARFT said in its latest notice that local television stations could draw only from the international news reports provided by the state-run China Central Television and China Radio International.

    “Recently, some foreign news agencies and media have used a variety of methods to sell international news material to domestic local TV stations, which have clear political intentions,” the notice said. According to SARFT, local broadcasters should avoid using international news material from foreign sources to make international news programmes or special coverage about international affairs.

    The new order also bans television stations using news footage taken from foreign satellite programmes broadcast with news reports from the official Xinhua News Agency. SARFT also insists that, broadcasting administrations at all levels should check up on local broadcasters and correct any wrong operations.

  • Mary Hockaday is BBC Radio News deputy head

    Mary Hockaday is BBC Radio News deputy head

    MUMBAI: Mary Hockaday has been announced as the BBC’s Deputy Head of Radio News, a new post working across the whole department in the UK. At present she is BBC Radio’s Editor of World Service News and Current Affairs.

    The move follows the appointment of Ceri Thomas as Editor of Radio 4’s Today programme. Ceri and Mary both deputised for Radio News head Stephen Mitchell, will be covering domestic and world affairs respectively.

    Mitchell said, “Mary has significant editorial experience both in the field and on programmes on World Service and Radio 4. I am very confident that she will now help us to transform the way we deliver our journalism across the board in the light of the major changes that are affecting our audiences and the wider BBC. Mary has been an outstanding part of the radio news family for several years and I am delighted to be able to appoint her to this important new post.”

    Part of Mary’s new role will be to further enhance coverage of foreign affairs across the department. She said, “I am really looking forward to working with colleagues right across BBC Radio News, to help deliver traditional and modern news services to big and varied audiences and to help bring closer together the editorial strength and creativity of staff from across domestic and World Service news departments.”

    Hockaday begins her new role at the end of the month. BBC Radio News will now seek to appoint a new editor of World Service News and Current Affairs, as well as a Radio newsgathering editor, to replace Ceri Thomas.

  • CBS launches broadband television network ‘Innertube’

    CBS launches broadband television network ‘Innertube’

    MUMBAI: US network CBS has launched a new broadband television network to capture a greater share of the booming internet advertising market.

    The network Innertube will offer streaming video of programmes developed specifically for the internet, programmes that serve as companions to existing CBS shows, as well as material from the media group’s vast library.

    The revenue model for Innertube, which is offered as free to viewers, is based on paid advertising. “In every discussion we’re having with advertisers, the discussion includes interactive possibilities,” CBS Digital president Larry Kramer has been quoted in media reports as saying.

    Kramer supported the new revenue model, describing CBS’s recent success offering an advertising-supported webcast of the annual college basketball tournament. Reportedly, the webcast drew 5 million visits, and led to more than 15 million downloads.

  • B4U’s Gautam joins UTV as film distribution, India head

    B4U’s Gautam joins UTV as film distribution, India head

    MUMBAI: B4U Network chief operating officer of India operations BL Gautam has quit the company. He has joined UTV Software Communications where he will head the film distribution business in India. He will also commercially facilitate greenlighting of movie projects.

    “Gautam has joined us. He will head our domestic film distribution business. He will also work closely with our movie project heads and be engaged in the commercial side of it like budgeting, reviewing the production process and negotiating,” says UTV Software Communications COO Ronald D’Mello. Aditya Shastri, who had joined UTV as COO motion pictures production, recently left the company.

    Before joining B4U, Gautam was with Zee Telefilms where he served as senior vice-president and moved on to become director commercial from 2000 to 2004. Prior to that, Gautam served the Indian Government as the superintendent of customs and was awarded the presidential Award in 1998 for distinguished service in that role.

    UTV has been enjoying major successes on the movie front with productions like the Aamir Khan super hit Rang De Basanti hitting the jackpot. The company has also distributed products in various territories including heavyweight titles such as Lagaan, Lakshya, Mission Kashmir, Parineeta and Viruddh.

    B4U Network is yet to announce a replacement for Gautam. The company owns and runs B4U Movies and B4U Music.

  • Hasbro wins game & toy rights to BBC & Ragdoll series ‘In the Night Garden’

    Hasbro wins game & toy rights to BBC & Ragdoll series ‘In the Night Garden’

    MUMBAI: Hasbro has been awarded the master toy and game license to BBC Worldwide and Ragdoll Ltd’s new upcoming preschool television series In the Night Garden.

    The series is due to launch on the BBC next year. Under a multi-year, global deal, Hasbro has been given rights for a wide range of toy categories, including preschool, infant and toddler toys, games, jigsaw puzzles, creative play products, proprietary interactive formats and ride-ons. Hasbro’s product line, to be marketed under its Playskool banner, is expected to debut in the U.K. in fall 2007, with rollout to other markets, including the U.S., expected to begin in 2008.

    The 100×30-minute show for kids aged 1 to 3 was devised by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport, the creative partnership responsible for Teletubbies.

    Hasbro VP of marketing for licensed products Leigh Anne Cappello said, “In the Night Garden is a truly enchanting property with characters that will translate beautifully to a fun and engaging product line. The unique and wholesome message that In the Night Garden delivers to both parents and kids fits in perfectly with our mission for Playskool.”

    It will spotlight “a host of wonderfully silly characters living together within a happy and caring community,” according to BBC Worldwide. The series, filmed in a forest, will blend live costumed characters with computer generated animation.

  • Buena Vista Intl TV EMEA appoints Taylor as VP legal & business affairs

    Buena Vista Intl TV EMEA appoints Taylor as VP legal & business affairs

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) EMEA has appointed Simon Taylor as vice president legal and business affairs. This was announced by BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis and Disney senior vice president and European general counsel Peter Wiley.

    In this London-based role, Taylor will be responsible for managing all legal and business affairs for BVITV’s television and new media distribution business. Within this, he will work closely with both Toumazis and Wiley, and will manage a BVITV legal and business affairs team of 11 based in London and Paris. He will also become a member of BVITV’s executive team.

    Taylor will join BVITV next month from his role as business consultant to a range of clients in the entertainment broadcasting, production and distribution sectors. Prior to this, he was HIT Entertainment’s legal and business affairs director from 2000 to 2002. Before that he was at BBC TV Programme Acquisition as head of business and legal affairs from 1994 to 2000.

    Toumazis said, “I’m delighted that someone with Simon’s experience and knowledge of the industry will help us manage the number of business opportunities and legal issues we face in the industry, including emerging new technology platforms and assisting with our continued efforts against piracy.”

    Wiley added, “Simon’s extensive track record of in-house legal experience in the international media industry will prove invaluable for our whole company.”

    “I’m excited to be joining such a dynamic business and looking forward to working with the team to further success, working with the great content BVITV has, and helping take advantage of the opportunities that the market has to offer,” said Taylor.

  • Entertainment networks off air as Bangalore mourns Rajkumar’s death

    Entertainment networks off air as Bangalore mourns Rajkumar’s death

    BANGALORE / MUMBAI: India’s I-T hub of Bangalore shut down today as increasingly violent mourners gathered from around the state for Karnataka cinema’s legendary icon Rajkumar’s funeral.

    As a mark of respect (and also fearing possible attacks) cable networks in the city switched off all their entertainment channels. Only news channels were beaming ahead of Rajkumar’s cremation this evening, which will be conducted with full state honours.

    “The Kannada Sanga has requested us to switch off all entertainment channels in Bangalore today, as a mark of respect to Dr Rajkumar,” said the head of an MSO, while speaking to indiantelevision.com.

    Only the news channels are being telecast. Local Kannada channels Udaya and ETV are running on the cable networks as they have taken serials off air and are only showing programmes related to Dr Rajkumar. The entire Star, Zee and Sony-Discovery’s One Alliance channels are off.

    “Cable operators in Bangalore decided to switch off all entertainment channels from midnight. We expect to put the channels on from tomorrow once Rajkumar’s body is cremated,” said Hathway Cable & Datacom head of digital in Bangalore Mathur Nath.

    Cable operators were also contacted by the Kannada activists yesterday. Popular Tamil channels including Sun TV and Jaya TV were pulled off air.

    The entertainment channel blackout seems restricted to Bangalore alone, since enquiries from Mysore reveal that entertainment channels are on there, as has also been confirmed by a Bangalore MSO who has a network in Mysore too, though shops and businesses have remained closed there too.

    As per reports, policemen have been a target of the public ire and TV news channels showed scenes of unruly mobs chasing and beating up policemen.

    Rajkumar, known to fans as “Aannavru” or elder brother, died yesterday aged 77, following a cardiac arrest. The thespian, winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Bhushan awards along with a host of other citations, has encouraged the use of Kannada language in the state. His 45-year career in cinema included more than 200 Kannada-language films.