ITV

Category: English Entertainment

  • NGC institutes awards for filmmaking

    NGC institutes awards for filmmaking

    MUMBAI: Infotainment channel National Geographic Channel (NGC) has announced a new initiative to recognise outstanding work in non fiction. It will present awards for excellence in non fiction film-making in India.

    It aims to set a benchmark for the best non-fiction productions and raise the bar of Indian film-making to produce exceptional content for the global and Indian audience.

    NGC says that the awards are India’s first such initiative to recognise and honour exceptional non-fiction films and will also provide an opportunity to realise every film maker’s aspiration to showcase their work in the international arena. The inception of these awards is an ideal extension of ‘s commitment to recognise films that are thought provoking and at the same time interesting to watch besides providing entertainment.

    The awards will focus on works of both professional as well as amateur film-makers of Indian origin in separate categories. Details like the award’s name, categories, application procedure, selection criteria, the jury, events, dates and other information will be announced shortly.

    NGC India senior VP – programming, Joy Bhattacharjya said, “With our documentary initiatives with Singapore’s Economic Development Board in Singapore and projects like Taiwan to the World, Nat Geo has already showcased its dedication to developing and recognizing talent around the world and providing opportunities to help film makers showcase their work.”

    “With these awards we aim to recognise and encourage superior non-fiction film-making in India and establishing a benchmark for the same. These awards are an ideal extension of our proposition to encourage viewers to rethink about the way they watch television. We plan to make this into an annual property and hence make this an event to remember with an innovative 360 degree activation experience which is bound to make the audience Think again”.

  • Discovery channel launches ‘Discovery Marquee’, ‘Discovery Week’

    Discovery channel launches ‘Discovery Marquee’, ‘Discovery Week’

    BANGALORE: Over the next 13 Mondays starting 2 October, the primetime 8 pm slot on Discovery will deal with historical epics as the channel plans to bring history and virtual history to viewers’ homes in a new series – Discovery Marquee.

    The episodes have been created using archival footage with recreated images produced using computer generated imagery (CGI) on personalities and events that affected history in a major way, along with a couple of episodes on earth, informs an official release.

    From Hannibal-Rome’s worst nightmare to Krakatoa to the Deep Ocean as seen by the eyes of the sperm whale, to Genghis Khan, Pompeii’s last day to Flight 913, to the failed plot to kill Hitler, Supervolcano, Dinosaur Planet and more is what one can expect. India also figures in the series by way of Jim Corbett and the Man Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, a cat that slaughtered 126 people over an eight year period.

    Also starting 30 September, in a bid to facilitate Indian viewers navigate the channel better, a new half hour series hosted by actor and one time VJ Rahul Khanna called Discovery Week will be aired every Saturday 10 pm with a repeat at 11:30 am the following Sunday, adds the release.

  • Nat Geo Wild to launch on Singapore pay TV platform StarHub

    Nat Geo Wild to launch on Singapore pay TV platform StarHub

    MUMBAI: StarHub, which claims to be Singapore’s largest pay-TV operator, will launch five more channels on 2 October 2006. They are National Geographic Wild, Sky News, Channel [V] International, Fox Crime and Boomerang.

    They will be added to the Family Plus digital group at no extra cost.

    National Geographic Wild will air documentaries entirely focussed on the animal kingdom and the worlds they inhabit. From the most remote environments, the forbidding depths of our oceans, to the protected parks in our backyards.

    National Geographic Wild uses cinematography and spellbinding storytelling to take viewers on unforgettable journeys into the wild world and to experience the best, most intimate encounters with wildlife ever seen on television.

    Channel [V] International features music videos and singers, reality and infotainment shows. Viewers can catch VJs such as Sarah, Maya, Dominic and Joey on this channel. It has shows such as Remote Control, Popparazzi, Arcade and The Ticket.

    Fox Crime is dedicated to crime, investigation and mystery. It is the ultimate channel where viewers will find all shadows of crime and investigation stories.

    Sky News is a news channel from the UK. Boomerang features animated entertainment, drawing from content of Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and MGM. Boomerang will not only provide another choice for kids content under the Cartoon Network banner, but also nostalgic moments for parents who wish to catch the legends of cartoon history such as Flintstones, Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, Wacky Races, The Jetsons and Top Cat.

    StarHub VP, cable TV services Patrick Lim says, “StarHub is constantly working towards providing better products and services, and creating more value to our customers, and we are very excited with all that we have in store for our cable TV customers, in particular those on the digital platform.

    “We hope that this addition of five quality channels to Family Plus, coupled with other new offerings to be rolled out on 2 October, will encourage those who have yet to enjoy StarHub Digital Cable to sign up and join the fun, and also provide more incentive to our analogue customers to make the switch to the digital platform so that they too can enjoy these great benefits.”

  • Sissy Spacek lights up the screen with ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ only on Pix!!

    As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam and played in the woods and gave no indication of one day growing up to be an Oscar-winning actress. Catch this tomboy turned Hollywood star this Sunday on Inside the Actors Studio on 10 September on Pix.

     

    Sissy decided on an acting career, having gotten interested in the profession through her cousin, Rip Torn. She relocated to New York, and through him, enrolled in the New York branch of the Actors Studio.

     

    She also tried modeling and singing. The petite Sissy finally broke into films, one of her first being Badlands. Her breakout role was in another film, Carrie, in which she played the humiliated Prom Queen who goes postal with her telekinesis.

     

    Read more to get a quick peek into another exciting episode of Inside the Actors Studio …

    – “Sissy” was a nickname that her brothers used to call her, short for “sister” and it stayed with her ever since

    – During her audition for Carrie (1976), she wore a dress that her mother forced her to wear to a party when she was in the seventh grade

     

    – She released a country LP titled Hangin’ Up My Heart on Atlantic Records in 1983

     

    – Decided to skip college after her older brother, Robbie, died at 18 years of age in 1967 from leukemia during her senior year in high school. She decided life was way too short to waste it in four years of college

    – Lives on 300 acre farmland named “Beau Val” near Charlottesville, Virginia

     

    Watch out for Sissy Spacek and her Tap dance demonstration only for James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio this Sunday 10 September at 7 pm on Pix!!!

  • NGC-science ministry film project ‘Science Safari’ unveiled

    NGC-science ministry film project ‘Science Safari’ unveiled

    NEW DELHI: India’s ministry of science and technology and the National Geographic Channel today unveiled the Science Safari, a film that showcases Indian science and technology through the Nat Geo perspective, which encourages viewers to ‘think again’.

    The film is a part of the year long campaign announced by the ministry and the NGC earlier this year.

    The 48-minute film produced by All Time Productions in close association with National Geographic Channel is an eclectic mix of scientific achievements across India and presents various innovations made by well known Indian scientists and some unknown inventors in an interesting travelogue format.

    The film will premiere on the National Geographic Channel on 26 September at 9 pm. and will be telecast four times during the first month and subsequently once every month in the following one year.

    The film will also be telecast on Doordarshan. Both Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Geographic Channel will promote the film extensively with the film being telecast in Hindi and English initially and then later being dubbed in other Indian regional languages to reach out to a wider audience pan India .

    A year-long 360-degree campaign encompassing both on-air and off-air initiatives to promote the film will be also launched.

    On air promotion initiatives will include programme promos on National Geographic Channel and The History Channel pre and post the premiere of the film and telecast of a special compilation of the channel’s best science and technology programming .

    The channel will also run informative scrollers, factoids, vignettes and 15 short films throughout the year on Indian science and technology.

    An extensive school outreach programme will also be initiated to generate further interest about Indian Science and Technology through this film.

    Specially commissioned Science Safari audio visual merchandise including DVD sets, CD sets, t-shirts and bags will be given out to school children during screening of the film in various public and private schools.

    “India is making great strides in the field of science and technology today, innovation and creativity are the most important assets for our future. Through this programme, we want to create more awareness amongst the people of our country, especially children about our achievements in this field and to encourage the spirit of scientific inquiry,” commented Kapil Sibal, minister for science, technology and earth sciences.

    Speaking at an event today, NGC India MD Nikhil Mirchandani said it is a constant endeavour to make viewers ‘think again’ about the world.

    “Science Safari is an extension of this philosophy. Through this initiative we look forward to stimulate the intellect of our viewers and encourage them to expand their thought horizons beyond the cognitive by exploring new frontiers of science and technology from an Indian perspective,” he added.

  • L’oreal Paris Elite Model Look India 2006 unveils new face

    L’oreal Paris Elite Model Look India 2006 unveils new face

    MUMBAI: The L’Oreal Paris Elite Model Look India 2006, which kickstarted last month, culminated in a grand finale in Mumbai.

    Manasvi Mamgal was chosen as the winner of the contest There was a tie in the first runners up position. Erica Packard and Nicki Sehgal were announced as the first runners-up, while Akanksha Arora was selected as the second runner-up of this mega model hunt.

    The auditions for the model hunt were held across four metros between 2 and 9 September. Twenty girls were chosen and sent to Goa for a complete training and fitness programme from 12 to 17 September.

    The grooming sessions was held at The Leela Palaces and Resorts, which was the official venue sponsor for the event. Fitness expert Leena Mogre monitored the sessions in Goa.

    The winner will represent India at the Elite Model Look International 2006 to be held in Thailand in November 2006 while the three runners-up will be the participating in the Elite Model Look Asia Pacific 2006 to be held in Shanghai in November 2006.

    The panel of judges for the finale included Elite supermodel and reigning Miss India-Universe Neha Kapur, actress Amrita Arora, supermodel Mehr Jessia, fashion designer Manish Malhotra, stand-up comedian Ash Chandler and Michaela Goddard who is the Head – Scouting, Elite Worldwide.

    Elite India CEO Sushma Puri said, “The L’Oreal Paris Elite Model Look 2006 is an exciting property which allows us to tap into the immense talent that lies undiscovered across India.

    This democratic event gives an opportunity to all those young girls who dream of a career in the fashion industry. Elite on its part strives to develop these participants so that they rise to their fullest potential and are able to shine.”

    Besides the final winners, Soni Agarwal and Apoorva Vishvanathan were the other two winners for the Miss Photogenic title while Ekta Chaudhury was announced as the winner of the Trussardi Prima Donna Award.

    All the winners will be in a modeling contract with Elite India and have won a free one-year membership to Fitness expert Leena Mogre’s gym.

    The auditions for the model hunt was held across four metros between 2 to 9 September. Twenty girls were chosen and sent to Goa for a complete training and fitness programme from 12 to 17 September.

    The grooming sessions was held at The Leela Palaces and Resorts, which was the official venue sponsor for the event. Fitness expert Leena Mogre monitored the sessions in Goa.

    The model hunt will be aired in the form of a reality series from 23 September onwards exclusively on Zoom, India’s premier glamour and lifestyle television. The series will take a look at the shoot right from auditions, training sessions to the grand finale.

    Commenting on the association with the event, Zoom business head MK Anand said, “As India’s foremost Glamour and Entertainment news destination, Zoom has showcased the finest events in the fashion and lifestyle arena. This model hunt is an effort to gain a space in fashion and style space. We hope to consolidate our position with the L’Oreal Paris Elite Model Look 2006.”

    “We will be airing a 10 episode series that takes a look at the reality shoot at the training sessions at Goa and the finale. This is just the beginning. We will soon be lauching a hunt called Diva Quest, which will be a hunt for a face for Zoom” added Anand.

    L’Oreal Consumer Products Division (India) director Philippe Raffray added “L’Oreal Paris endeavors to make women around the world more beautiful. Which is why this association with Elite, one of the most prestigious modeling networks, and Zoom, India’s glamorous lifestyle channel, creates a unique showcase for contemporary Indian beauty.”

  • Nat Geo builds an online Wall against Terror

    Nat Geo builds an online Wall against Terror

    MUMBAI: In an effort to get Indian viewers more involved with its programming on terrorism the National Geographic Channel (NGC) has creating a unique microsite to increase interactivity with the viewers, encourage them to come forward with their views and get in depth information on the series Nat Geo Investigates: Terrorism. The series is airing till 22 September 2006 at 10 pm.

    The micro-site is called Wall against Terror. It includes a special forum called ‘India’s Voice’. This is a blog where viewers can share their ideas and thoughts about the issue of terrorism.

    The microsite also includes sections like ‘What’s Your Slogan?’, ‘Do Your Bit’ and ‘Send A Postcard’. ‘What’s Your Slogan’ invite’s viewers to post their slogan against terror, while ‘Do Your Bit’ looks at giving tips to citizens on how to deal with terrorism in day-to-day life. Through ‘Send A Postcard’, one can inform his or her friends about the series and the campaign against terrorism.

    Besides the above, the Nat Geo Investigates micro-site provides in depth information on the series and interesting factoids on some of the deadliest terror attacks in recent times.

    NGC India VP -marketing, Rajesh Sheshadri, said, “With a strong message like ‘India, Fight Back’, we are promoting this series not only on-air but also through radio, internet and various innovative on-ground activities. This series is a landmark event not only for us, but all our viewers and partners as it touches a topic which is pertinent to all. With only few days into the activity, we are getting tremendous response to the series and to our blog India’s Voice. It shows that people are now ready to be involved in the fight against terrorism, by being more alert and aware”.

    The micro-site, ‘Wall Against Terror’ can be accessed through the National Geographic Channel’s website www.nationalgeographic.co.in or directly www.designmechanics.in/natgeo/

  • Nat Geo partners with CBeebies, King Rollo Films for new show

    Nat Geo partners with CBeebies, King Rollo Films for new show

    MUMBAI: US media firm National Geographic Kids Entertainment (NGKE) and King Rollo Films have partnered with the BBC’s kids channel CBeebies to co-produce the live-action/animated preschool series Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies.

    CBeebies will also contribute archival footage to complement the resources provided by National Geographic. The agreement was announced by National Geographic Kids Entertainment president Donna Friedman Meir.

    The co-production deal gives CBeebies rights to broadcast the program in the UK and Eire and to license consumer products and home video in these territories. NGKE’s sister company, National Geographic Television International (NGTI), retains programme sales and equivalent licensing/home video rights for all remaining worldwide territories. CBeebies will begin airing Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies next year.

    NGKE, NGTI and CBeebies plan to develop Mama Mirabelle into a multimedia franchise encompassing television, DVD/video, VOD, mobile phone and interactive online content.

    Meir says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with CBeebies, given their extraordinary legacy as a producer of outstanding children’s programming. Their support for ‘Mama Mirabelle’ is a fantastic seal of approval for our first preschool series. There is a natural fit between the BBC and National Geographic brands, and we look forward to developing our relationship so that we can continue to bring such lovable characters and high-quality programming to U.K. and global audiences.”

    Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies features an inquisitive cast of baby animal characters, including regulars Bo the cheetah cub; Karla the zebra foal; Max the elephant calf; monkeys Pip, Flip and Chip; and their maternal elephant host, Mama Mirabelle. Each day the animals gather in the savannah to watch home videos of themselves and other amazing creatures of the natural world. Through lighthearted and heartwarming interaction, Mama helps the baby animals find answers to many of life’s questions from a preschooler’s perspective.

  • Watch out for the 2006 Emmy Award winning drama series “24” & “The Amazing Race” only on AXN

    Mumbai, 29th August, 2006: The red carpet was rolled and television’s hottest stars strutted around and blew kisses to their fans, some with their better halves and some with the much desired “2006 Emmy Award”. AXN, the action and adventure channel as always showcases the best in entertainment as has on its prime time 2 of the award winning series “24” & “Amazing Race”.

    The action drama 24 won the Best Drama Series, Best lead Actor- Kiefer Sutherland & Best Director. Each one-hour episode covers an hour in a single day that unfolds over the course of a season. Kiefer Sutherland stars as über-hero Jack Bauer, a daring and seemingly indestructible agent for the fictitious U.S.-intelligence body the Counter Terrorist Unit. Come September and AXN will launch the 4th season of 24.

    Known for its reality programmes, “The Amazing Race” won the Best Reality Competition programme. The Amazing Race is the most popular reality television shows in which teams of two or four race around the world in competition with other teams. Being the fourth consecutive year, ever since 2003,The Amazing Race has been awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program.

    Gaining popularity from all over, The Amazing Race will soon be launching an Asia version, wherein participants from India too will be selected and featured on the show.

    So stay tuned to the best in award winning entertainment only on your favourite channel – AXN

    AXN India Backgrounder
    AXN is the first 24-hour cable and satellite TV channel in Asia exclusively dedicated to action and adventure programming. Launched on 21 September 1997, AXN now reaches over 77 million households across Asia. Featuring the best in action and adventure lifestyle programming, AXN is the exclusive home of fast-paced, dynamic entertainment from around the world. Backed by the powerhouse of Sony Pictures Entertainment, AXN delivers young adult viewers, Sec15-44 AB, a round-the-clock fix of blockbuster features, blue-chip action and reality series and specials, first-run alternative sporting events and the latest in cult CGI animation. AXN’s programming speaks the international language of action and adventure, delivering B! G Buzz, B! G Thrills, B!G Action and B!G Adventure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
    For further information please contact:
    Deepa Vaidyanathan/ Kehkashan Merchant
    LinOpinion
    9820453418/ 9821131138

  • HBO, Star Movies start to feel blackout pinch

    HBO, Star Movies start to feel blackout pinch

    MUMBAI: It has been two weeks since English film channels HBO and Star Movies have been off air in Mumbai. While the Hindi film channels have returned with the undertaking not to air ‘A’ rated films, the problem with the above mentioned two channels is that they do not have enough films rated U and U/A to put on air for 24 hours.

    In Mumbai, Hathway and InCable, which control 55 per cent of the cable homes in Mumbai, have not resumed telecast of these two channels. Even some other areas of Mumbai that have other service providers are not getting them. The first problem is that a significant percentage of the viewership for English movie channels (around 15 per cent) each week, comes from Mumbai.

    The second difficulty is that the channels have to get their films cleared by the Censor Board. A Star official says that the channel is in the process of submitting the films. He was non committal when asked as to when the channel was expected to be back on air.

    HBO too, has a significant backlog to be cleared. While attempts to contact HBO proved unsuccessful, a Zee Turner official says that it is looking to help HBO in the process. The repercussions of the blackout are already starting to show however.

    On the ad revenue front, information available with Indiantelevision.com indicates that agencies will ask for some kind of compensation if the problem is not resolved soon. The amount of course will depend on the delay in getting the channels back on the air.

    On the distribution front though, the Zee Turner official says that the cable fraternity has been cooperative and understanding of the situation. Of course subscribers in Mumbai will continue to pay for HBO. So there is no loss there in the absence of addressability.

    The longer this drags on the better it is for the likes of Zee Studio and Pix. While the ratings are not yet out they would have benefitted to some extent as some viewers who would normally watch HBO and Star Movies tune in to them.

    What is interesting though is that Zee spokesperson Ashish Kaul says that the blackout is too restrictive to be a reason for the channel to do anything drastic like push forward its planned marketing campaign. “Had it been a nationwide blackout, the situation would have been different. While more people in Mumbai will tune in to us we need to push ourselves more for them to stay with the channel once HBO and Star Movies come back on. We will be launching new properties and a campaign in around three weeks time. If the blackout is still on (which looks likely) then we will certainly see more visibility.

    “However we recognise that the blackout is temporary and to get viewership in the long term we need to create better visibility for ourselves. It is important that our brand position of being a channel for the movie connoisseur be clear.”

    Another beneficiary from the blackout would be DVD libraries. A spokesperson from a library says that more English movie DVDs are being rented on the weekends. The blackout does not affect rentals the weekdays as people in any case do not have the time, he says. On weekends though the number of English film DVDs being rented is up by around 15 per cent over the past couple of weeks.