Category: Television

ESPN launches 10th International edition of flagship show ‘SportsCenter’

MUMBAI: ESPN has launched the 10th international version of its news and information show SportsCenter. The Japanese edition will air on J Sports ESPN every Monday night.

The show covers the major weekend sporting events relevant to Japanese viewers, as well as international sports with particular appeal to local fans. It is hosted by Yoko Umeda from the J Sports ESPN studios in Tokyo.

ESPN Asia Pacific VP and GM Bernard Stewart said, “The Japanese version of SportsCenter is a perfect example of ESPN’s commitment to provide locally relevant news and information to sports fans in each region of the world.”

SportsCenter is produced in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and now Japanese. The local SportsCenters air on ESPN and ESPN+ in Latin America, ESPN Dos Mexico, ESPN Brasil, TSN Canada, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) across Asia, ESS India, ESS Hong Kong, ESS Taiwan, MBC Korea and J Sports ESPN.

April 13, 2006
Europe’s RTL takes complete stake in n-TV

MUMBAI: Europe’s largest broadcaster, RTL Group has taken full control of the German news network n-tv, acquiring CNN’s 50 percent stake for an undisclosed sum.

The Bonn-based German Cartel Office approved the move for RTL to acquire the 50 percent stake owned by Atlanta, Georgia-based CNN, the European broadcaster said in a statement.

RTL had applied to the German Cartel Office last November to take 100 percent control of the channel. The regulatory authority has approved the acquisition without any stipulations, according to media reports.

The German Cartel Office said it has approved Bertelsmann AG’s TV station RTL Television GmbH’s takeover of the German news station n-tv, despite expressing reservations.

The cartel office noted that RTL Group – with its stations RTL, VOX, Super RTL and n-tv – and its rival ProSiebenSat.1 GruppeMedia AG, enjoy a duopoly control of the German television market.

It said that rejecting the takeover would not weaken this duopoly nor reduce the advertising customers that RTL enjoys from the n-tv station.
RTL Germany head. Anke Schaeferkordt said, “We welcome the decision of the cartel office and are excited that n-tv has become the most important member of the RTL family.”

April 13, 2006
Vijay TV announces special line up for Tamil New Year day

MUMBAI: On the occasion of the Tamil New Year day on 14 April, Vijay TV will begin the day with Kandha Shashti Kavasam, a tribute to the Lord Muruga at 5:30 am.

This will be followed by Mangala Isai at 6 am, a divine Nadhaswaram recital by famous exponents. Stay tuned to Arul Urai at 6:30 pm – One of the most respected spiritual leader comes to your living rooms through Vijay TV for this Tamil New Year.

Nammai Marandarai Naam Marakka Mattom at 7 am: A classical dance presentation by the actress Swarnamalya. With the help of a diverse combination of music, dance and poetry, she beautifully portrays an extract of the great Tamil literature Silapadikaram.

Leoniyin Sirappu Pattimandram at 8 am: A debate, hosted by Dindugal Leoni a famous mediator who steers a debate through comic interjections & humorous anecdotes. Pattimandram are immensely popular with a Tamil viewing audience on a topic pertinent to the society – watch this space for some serious laughter.

Sabaash – Sariyana Potti at 9 am: A Karaoke based musical game show hosted by a celebrity as the popular singers of the industry like Harish,Tippu,Chinmayi,Saindavi,Devan,Ranjith among many others face each other in this battle of the sexes. Stay tuned for loads of excitement.

Ready Joot at 10:30 am: Three popular TV artistes have to convince 3 other celebrities Meera Vasudevan, Venkat Prabhu and Chetan to go on an all-expense paid vacation abroad but in the next 4 hours. Then begins the race to the finish among the 3 individuals. The celebrity whose participants wins also wins an all expense paid trip to one destination abroad.

Shreya Udan Oru Naal at 11:30 am: A great opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the leading celebrities from the Tamil film industry. Watch out.

Sigaram Thotta Thamizhargal at 12:30 am: The winner of the viewer poll of Airtel Sigaram Thotta Thamizhargal will be announced on this special day. Along with a special feature about the winner, the show will also feature the other nominees and their achievements.

Special Movie – Terminator 2: Judgment Day at 1:30 pm
Manadhodu Oru Mazhai Kaalam at 4:30 pm : A sneak peek into the making of the film Manadhodu Oru Mazhai Kaalam starring popular hero Shyam and Samiksha of Arindhum Ariyamalum fame. Tune in for interviews, snippets and much more.

Vijayin Diary at 5 pm: A one hour special interview with the biggest star of Kollywood Vijay.Tune into find out more about this intense actor as he talks about work, life and everything in between.

Kalooori Kanavugal at 6 pm: A show sprinkled with doses of humor, featuring the flavor of the different colleges across the state, highlighting the culture, the students, the achievements and college life. Directed at a young audience and hosted by a vibrant anchor.

Isai – The Legends at 7 pm: On this special day, Vijay brings to you some of the best moments of events held by Vijay featuring popular singers, artistes and other performers.

April 13, 2006
Asianet, Asianet Plus line up Vishu fare on 14 April

MUMBAI: Asianet is celebrating this Vishu on 14 April with a host of special programmes. The Programme packag is branded as Vishu Kazhcha.

Vishu songs by cine star Mahathi will be followed by Vishu forecast by kanippayyoor Krishnan Namboothiripad. A telefilm , Kanikonna Poothapol, will be telecast on the day. Cine star Meera Jasmine recollects her memories of Vishu celebrations and also discusses her new movie Rasathanthram in the morning show , Suprabhatham.

The other programmes in the day include comedy skits and a special music programme in which Vidhu Prathap, Rimi Tomy , Sheela Mani, Pradeep Babu and many others will participate.

The Mohanlal – starrer Vamanapuram Bus route will be shown on the mini-screen for the first time through Asianet on Vishu morning, at 9:30 am. Another movie in the offing on the day is Vellinakshathram , which will be telecast at 1:30 pm.

The Ujala Asianet Film Awards nite ( Part-2) will be telecast at 11:05 pm on Vishu day.

Vishu is being planned as a musical Vishu on Asianet Plus. The day opens with reviving the nostalgic memories of Vishu through musicals and proceeds to the young and upcoming singers of Kerala with the choicest of songs. This follows a tele film – Vishukkeni.

From 9 – 11 am, a two hours live show is planned with tele-chat with the celebrities from Malayalam movie world. Followed by the one and only SP Balasubramaniam performing selected songs from Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.

At 1 pm, Hrudayaragam will be featuring Vishu based songs and at 2 PM, the special programme featuring the favourite songs of celebrities.

An exclusive interview with Sonu Nigam is scheduled at 9 pm and a one hour freewheeling chat with music sensation AR Rahman is scheduled at 10 pm.

April 13, 2006
Total Sports Asia, Mountain Dew launch adventure reality show

MUMBAI: Mountain Dew, the drink that celebrates the adventurous pulse of the youth, has launched an adventure reality show with Mountain Dew Himalayan Challenge 2006.

Mountain Dew has partnered with Uttaranchal Tourism and associated with co-sponsors – Ten Sports, Mentos, Hercules TI and Weekender. The event is being managed by Total Sports & Entertainment India.

The event will see 10 teams of 3 contestants each, pitted against each other amidst the mighty range of Himalayas to win prize money worth Rs 200,000 . The Challenge will comprise of teams participating in adventure sports such as rock-climbing, rappelling, GPS navigated cross-country, white-water rafting and mountain biking.

The event will air over five episodes on Ten Sports, from May to June 2006. Besides this, the event will be promoted through heavy activation in press and outdoors to create awareness and build participation.

Pepsi India executive VP, marketing – flavours Pratik Pota says, “The Mountain Dew Himalayan Challenge 2006 is designed for all adventure enthusiasts who dare to challenge and showcase their competitive streak. The event exemplifies Mountain Dew’s daring imagery and we are positive that this will help strengthen Mountain Dew’s association with adventure sports as well as enhance consumer connect in India”.

Total Sports Asia director business development Shail Kapri says, “We are proud to associate with Mountain Dew and launch the mega ‘Mountain Dew Himalayan Challenge 2006’ in India. Adventure sports is fast gaining popularity in India and the event is a reflection of the adventurous spirit that has caught the attention of the youth. We are positive that such initiatives will give a boost to the competitive sport segment in India”.

The event will be held in Auli and Rishikesh from 23 to 25 April. On the first day, the teams will compete across rock-climbing, rappelling and cross-country in Auli. On the 25th, they will raft down from Kaudiyala to Laxman Jhoola in Rishikesh, followed by mountain biking through Rajaji National Park till end at Rishikesh Barrage. The prize presentation ceremony will take place on the eve of 25 April, which will also see the winners of the ‘Runner-Up Trophy’ and the ‘Mentos Trophy’ for the ‘quick thinking’ team.

To participate in the event consumers can fill entry forms, available at any of the 52 Weekender stores across the country. They can also log on to www.dewdares.com and enter the challenge. The last date for entries is 18 April. The teams will be selected from across 40 cities and will comprise of 3 members each. The nationwide selection will be on the basis of various parameters such as fitness, health, past experience etc. Entry is open to all above 18 years of age and is free of cost.

April 12, 2006
Baby TV to launch in Indonesia next month

MUMBAI: Baby TV and Dori Media International have signed an agreement with Indovision, Indonesia’s first Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) provider, to launch Baby TV, the television channel dedicated to infants and toddlers.

Baby TV is the first television channel designed especially for children under 3 years old. Broadcasting 24 hours and free of commercials or ads, Baby TV is geared towards learning, activity, fun and parent-child interaction. The channel is produced in collaboration with leading child psychologists and infant development experts and is a unique service for parents and grandparents.

Baby TV is already available on over 25 different platforms in 15 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is expected to be launched in Indonesia in Bahasa Indonesia language in May 2006.

The agreement is for a period of 10 years during which, Indovision will pay Baby TV and DMI a consideration from any income derived from the channel.

DMG president and CEO Nadav Palti says, “Although our business continues to be focused on Telenovela, our relationship with Indovision, the largest DTH operator in Indonesia, following the successful launch of our TV channel Televiva Vision 2 has given us a unique position to partner with other channels looking to enter the Asian market. Baby TV is a successful channel which is quickly establishing itself in the global market and Indovision, being the largest DTH operator in Indonesia is the natural partner. Baby TV offers a very unique service and we believe it will be very popular with parents and families in Indonesia.”

Dori Media Group is an international entertainment group active in the production, distribution and broadcasting of Telenovela. The group owns and sells high-loyalty TV content and branded merchandise attracting a wide variety of audiences in over 45 countries. In Israel, Dori Media Group owns and operates the Viva dedicated TV channels and Darset Productions production company.

April 12, 2006
Tivo announces winner of ambassador competition in the US

MUMBAI: TiVo, which creates television services for digital video recorders (DVR), has announced the winner of a contest to crown the top TiVo enthusiast in the US.

As the winner of the Tivo Ambassador contest, San Diego resident Matt Ward will enjoy $50,000 in cash and prizes — including a new Mini Cooper convertible — and a once in a lifetime opportunity to help spread the word about the joys of owning a Tivo DVR.

Tivo VP consumer marketing Katie Ho says, “We have seen an unprecedented loyalty and passion for TiVo since the company’s inception. Through this contest we have heard from a growing fan base eager to share how TiVo has transformed the way they watch TV. With the Tivo ambassador contest, we wanted to put our top enthusiasts in the spotlight — and honour their contribution to the TiVolution.”

Ward, who is currently working on his first children’s novel, won the award through a clever and humorous depiction of how Tivo has transformed the way he watches television. His winning video shows Ward running for the office of the TiVo Ambassador, and features a TiVo DVR as a valued real-life member of the family. Viewers see the box playing board games with the kids, consuming milk and cookies, and snuggled beside Ward on the sofa.

He says, “It is amazing to be named the Tivo Ambassador and to win these prizes. But it’s also really nice to be honoured by this organization, whose product I am so passionate about. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect — my earnings will allow me to continue work on a children’s novel, a project that has been a dream of mine for many years.”

The contest, announced in September 2005, was open to all Tivo Rewards members who had earned 25,000 points in the programme by referring friends to the TiVo(R) service prior to the contest start date. Those vying for the top spot submitted personal essays and creative videos showcasing their passion for Tivo. In just over a year and a half, more than 350,000 TiVo subscribers have enrolled in the company’s rewards programme.

The programme grants points redeemable for great rewards to Tivo owners who refer new subscribers. As the TiVo Ambassador, Ward will gather with legions of fans throughout the year to spread the word about the celebrated ability of Tivo to deliver the best way to watch television.

April 12, 2006
GSN’s doc series ‘Anything To Win’ features the competitive world of daytime soaps

MUMBAI: On Easter Sunday, 16 April, US broadcaster GSN, which deals with games will air the special Anything To Win: Soap Operas Wars.

The channel notes that soap operas are legendary for going to extremes and creating the most outlandish storylines with their characters, doing anything from afflicting them with amnesia to bringing them back from the dead. This is never more evident than during “Sweeps” when, in an effort to boost ratings, soap producers pull out all the stops.

GSN’s special gives viewers a glimpse into this competitive world, focussing specifically on a ground breaking stunt orchestrated by the producers and writers of Days of Our Lives where they unleashed a serial killer on to the town of Salem and, when it was all over, half of the beloved cast was dead.

Soap Opera Digest editor Stephanie Sloane said, “Soap operas are misunderstood and underappreciated. As any actor who has joined a soap after doing prime time or films will tell you, there isn’t a more demanding job in the business. Daytime is filled with talented performers whose fans are fiercely loyal, and storylines that are complicated and compelling. It’s no wonder so many prime time shows draw talent and plots from the genre”.

April 12, 2006
Vijay TV schedules auditions for ‘Airtel Super Singer’

MUMBAI: There is an opportunity for talented Chennaities to walk in to the video booths at Chennai and register their voice to compete in the upcoming Vijay TV talent hunt initiative, the Airtel Super Singer.

The video booths are located different locations at Chennai on the following dates: Abirami Mega Mall – April 11 to 14, Udayam Theatre – April 11 to 14, Spencer Plaza – April 12 to 14, Satyam Cineplex – April 13 to 14.

Interested candidates can also register through the Vijay TV Super Singer vans which would be stationed across Chennai, informs a channel communiqué.

In case a person is not short-listed, they can still try their luck on the day of the Chennai zonal audition that is scheduled on 16 April at the Chennai Convention Center, Nandambakkam. The judges for the Chennai audition would be music director Iman, noted playback singers S.P. Shailaja and Malathi.

Auditions are restricted to the first 600 registrations only on a first come first serve basis. One can give any number of auditions and if not selected in the Chennai zone, he or she can audition in Madurai, which is to be held on 23 April. The Madurai audition that was originally scheduled on 8 April has been postponed to 23 April due to the heightened election campaign in the region.

The show will be on air from 28 April, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. The winner of Airtel Supersinger gets to sing in a Harris Jeyaraj Movie

April 12, 2006
Kannada film industry doyen Dr. Rajkumar is no more

BANGALORE: A sad day indeed in the annals of the film industry, especially for the Kannada Film industry. The biggest and one of the first superstars of the Kannada Film industry has bid adieu. He was 77.

Dr Rajkumar, who complained of breathlessness about a month ago, had been admitted to M S Ramaiah Hospital. He succumbed to a cardiac arrest today as per the initial reports that have come in. The thespian, a winner of the Padma Bhushan along with a host of other awards and citations has encouraged the use of Kannada language in the state.

Though very well known in South India, he came to national light when he was kidnapped and kept in custody for 109 days by notorious sandal wood smuggler the late Veerappan in 2000.

The city of Bangalore has literally come to a standstill, following the demise. Crowds have been thronging to his residence along with a number of top Bangalore based politicians.

April 12, 2006