ITV

Category: English Entertainment

  • Witness the splendor and grandeur of The Royal Wedding direct from Windsor Castle from the comfort of your home on COLORS INFINITY

    Witness the splendor and grandeur of The Royal Wedding direct from Windsor Castle from the comfort of your home on COLORS INFINITY

    MUMBAI: COLORS INFINITY invites you to be a part of the celebrations and witness The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as the beloved couple exchange vows and say, “I Do”. With only a few days to go for the most highly anticipated wedding of the season, COLORS INFINITY brings to you the matrimonial ceremony as it happens at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday, May 19 at 1:30pm (IST).

    After the future King William married his sweetheart from university Kate Middleton in a magnificent ceremony, the world waited with bated breath for the younger sibling Prince Harry to find his way to the altar. But the charming Prince, known for his shy smile and affable persona, hadn’t found his soulmate, until he came across and got instantaneously smitten by the talented and independent American Actress Meghan Markle. Popularly known for her role as ‘Rachel Zane’ in the superhit television series ‘Suits’, Meghan’s charm goes beyond her beauty, with her humanitarian and philanthropic endeavors across the world flooring the Prince, who’s fifth in line to the British throne. What followed was a whirlwind romance that mesmerized the world, leading to this blessed day.

    With all of Britain and the rest of the world keenly glued to their television screens and mobile devices for updates from the wedding, COLORS INFINITY opens the doors of Windsor Castle to Indian viewers, giving a glimpse of the spectacle as the couple walk down the aisle. Attending the Royal Wedding will be the who’s who of Europe’s elite, bureaucrats, film personalities, celebrities and renowned sportspersons.

    Commenting on this special telecast, Viacom18, Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Hashim D’Souza said, “There is growing interest from viewers and an upward trend of conversations on the customs and celebrations of celebrity weddings in India. The Royal Wedding is the most awaited event of the year, with people across the world including India setting their sights on the big day of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. The telecast of the Royal Wedding direct from Windsor Castle is a unique programming opportunity for COLORS INFINITY. We take pride in being able to offer an array of coveted content by showcasing the event to our viewers in India.”

  • Decode the secrets to a perfect pitch on SHARK TANK – Season 9 powered by Garnier Men premiering on COLORS INFINITY

    Decode the secrets to a perfect pitch on SHARK TANK – Season 9 powered by Garnier Men premiering on COLORS INFINITY

    MUMBAI: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffet. Universally considered as the guru of the business realm, the words of Warren Buffet are a guidebook to live by for established and ambitious entrepreneurs. Trying to transform their entrepreneurial dreams into reality, many go-getters aspiring to become the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg come to SHARK TANK to convince a panel of tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons known as Sharks to invest in their business. These entrepreneurs get only one opportunity to pitch their business proposition and persuade the Sharks to turn their dreams into reality. Bringing back the exhilarating viewing experience that will trigger the entrepreneur in you, COLORS INFINITY showcases Season 9 of viewers’ favorite Business–Entertainment show – SHARK TANK, starting Thursday, May 17, on weekdays at 9pm.

    If only a business idea could thrive and succeed on the merits of its novelty and utility! Until such time, to turn those ideas into a viable and sustainable business these aspiring entrepreneurs need to raise funds. In a bid to secure funding for their business ventures, participants coming on the show will face the fiery and probing questions from some of the most prominent, respected and fearsome set of business magnates.

    Billionaire Sports Baron – Mark CubanSerial Venture Capitalist – Kevin O’LearyA person sitting on a chair

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    Queen of QVC – Lori GreinerReal Estate Mogul –  Barbara CorcoranA person sitting on a chair

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    Information Tech Tycoon – Robert HerjavecFashion Hotshot –   Daymond JohnA statue of a person sitting in a chair

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    Joining the Sharks in the Tank for season 9 is a line-up of blockbuster guest Sharks including serial entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Richard Branson; Spanx owner Sara Blakely; Skinnygirl founder Bethenny Frankel; iconic Smartwater and Vitaminwater brand-builder Rohan Oza; and legendary baseball player and businessman Alex Rodriguez.

    The start-up world is like a pool of opportunities where a great concept can either get lost in translation or turn into a business giant. Here are some businesses that managed to carve a niche and impress the Sharks on season 9;

    1.      Stasher – plastic-free reusable storage bag,

    2.      The Seventy2 – world’s finest complete 72-hour emergency survival system,

    3.      Hater – a dating app that matches the user with people based on what they hate,

    4.      The Wingman – USCG approved world’s thinnest and most versatile inflatable life jacket,

    5.      And Third Wave Water – dehydrated water in packets for brewing the perfect coffee; are only a few of the many ideas that wowed the Sharks this season.

    Showcasing another season full of remarkable inventions and insightful expert advice, Hashim D’souza – Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “SHARK TANK is the most revered business-entertainment reality show on television not only in the US but also internationally. With India’s expansive start-up culture and deep-rooted business mindset, SHARK TANK has become one of the most-watched shows on the channel, since the season 1 premiere on COLORS INFINITY. But the sterling performance and appeal of SHARK TANK doesn’t stop there, with the show finding a fanbase across age groups and milieu with its unique approach to reality television. Through this show, the channel goes beyond its staple English Entertainment audience by entertaining, educating and motivating while staying real and relevant. A crash course in the ‘Perfect Pitch’, Season 9 of SHARK TANK will be a class of Business:101, that further ups the ante for reality-entertainment shows on Indian television.”

  • This Mother’s Day, Romedy NOW launches its campaign #MyOtherMother

    This Mother’s Day, Romedy NOW launches its campaign #MyOtherMother

    MUMBAI: This Mother’s Day, Romedy Now will celebrate the spirit of motherhood with its digital campaign –#MyOtherMother. The campaign kickstarting 12th May invites viewers to share their stories and celebrate the spirit of this special person in their lives by tagging @RomedyNOW on Facebook with the hashtag #MyOtherMother. The best stories will be rewarded by the channel.

    Motherhood transcends biological boundaries and motherly love is an emotion that goes beyond one person or relationship. From women who raise their siblings like their very own children to the friends who care for you like a mother.

    On the 13th May, Romedy NOW will air it’s property ‘Mum’s The World’ all day long from 9 am to 9 pm showcasing a special line-up of movies that celebrate mothers! The movies that will be showcased are The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, Maid In Manhattan, No Reservations, Life As We Know It and August Rush.

  • This Mother’s Day, Comedy Central gifts moms something special…

    This Mother’s Day, Comedy Central gifts moms something special…

    MUMBAI: A big shout-out to all moms across the world! Each year the second Sunday of May is dedicated to mothers of all kind – mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, mothers-in-law, aunts, wives, fellow moms, mentors and women who shower love with a big heart. The love, care and pamper that a mom showers is priceless, and Comedy Central is all set to depict this with a twist!

    On the occasion of Mother’s Day, the channel is about to get all the moms out there for a ROFL session with the mother-daughter duo; Carol and Katherine (Katie) of the show Great News. A bitter-sweet relation wherein Carol; the mother joins a news network as an intern to her producer-daughter Katie. Revel in the telecast of Great News Season 1 that highlights the ‘bring your mom to work day’ concept, especially designed for Mother’s Day. 

    That’s not all, the channel brings to its viewers a comic dose of shows including 2 Broke Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, FRIENDS and lots more to entertain all the beautiful moms.

    This Mother’s Day, plan a day with your mom, do some serious binge watching and laugh till you drop because Comedy Central will make sure you have fabulous Mother’s Day experience.

    Tune in to Comedy Central on May 13th between 2pm and 7pm to watch the telecast of Great News Season 1.

  • Star India’s contribution to 21 CF operating profit doubles

    Star India’s contribution to 21 CF operating profit doubles

    BENGALURU: Star India’s contribution to the third quarter (quarter ended 31 March 2018, Q3-2018) numbers of Rupert Murdoch-led Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (21st Century Fox) more than doubled as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter according the company’s earnings release. Star India is a part of 21st Century’s cable network programming (CNP) segment. Star India’s contributions along with those of Fox Network Group International (FNG International) are reflected as those of international affiliates’ numbers in 21st Fox Century’s financial statements.

    21st Century Fox reported total quarterly revenue of $7.42 billion, a two percent decrease from the $7.56 billion of revenue reported in the prior year quarter. This decrease principally reflects the absence of advertising revenue generated by Super Bowl in the prior year in the television segment partially offset by higher affiliate, syndication and advertising revenue at the CNP segment, the company stated.

    21st Century Fox reported quarterly income from continuing operations attributable to its stockholders of $876 million ($0.47 per share), an eight per cent increase compared with $811 million ($0.44 per share) reported in the prior year quarter. Excluding the net income effects of impairment and restructuring charges, other, net and adjustments to equity losses of affiliates, adjusted quarterly earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to 21st Century Fox stockholders was $0.49 compared to the adjusted result of $0.54 for the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Q3-2018 operating income before depreciation and amortisation (OIBDA) reflects an approximate $60 million charge from higher compensation expense due to the modification of equity awards resulting from the proposed Disney and New Fox transactions, which negatively impacted adjusted earnings per share by $0.02 per share, 21st Century Fox said.

    Commenting on the results, 21st Century Fox executive chairmen Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch said, “We continue to make operational and financial progress against near-term objectives as we also work to close our strategic transactions. Our cable segment delivered its highest earnings ever in our fiscal third quarter, propelled by sustained double-digit gains in domestic affiliate revenue. Creatively, we are firing on all cylinders. Our stand-out programming continues to drive up the value of our video brands to distributors, as well as build our direct relationship with consumers, as we’re demonstrating with the successful inaugural season of Indian Premier League on Star Sports and Hotstar platforms. Our film studio delivered box-office and awards momentum that we expect to continue with the upcoming release of Deadpool 2.”

    Cable network programming

    CNP revenue for Q3 2018 increased by 2.7 per cent to $4,419 million from $4,024 million in the corresponding year ago quarter. The 21st Century Fox earnings release said that CNP quarterly OIBDA increased by 16 per cent as against the prior year quarter to $1.68 billion, driven by a 10 per cent revenue increase on higher affiliate, syndication and advertising revenue partially offset by a six per cent increase in expenses. The increase in expenses was primarily due to the first year of sublicensed Big Ten rights and higher sports and entertainment programming costs at FNG International, partially offset by lower sports programming costs at Star India.

    CNP’s international affiliate revenue grew by 14 per cent driven by rate and subscriber growth at both FNG International and Star India. International advertising revenue declined by one per cent as strong growth at FNG International was offset by the negative impact of a shift in timing of cricket matches at Star India. International OIBDA contributions were 23 per cent higher than the prior year quarter as Star India’s contributions more than doubled but were partially offset by lower contributions at FNG International, wherein higher costs more than offset the higher reported revenue.

    CNP’s domestic affiliate revenue increased by 10 per cent driven by contractual rate increases across all of the segment’s domestic brands and domestic advertising revenue increased by three per cent from the prior year period due to higher pricing at Fox News. Domestic OIBDA contributions increased by 15 per cent over the prior year quarter reflecting strong growth across all of its domestic brands.

    Television

    The television segment had 32 per cent lower revenue of $1,149 million for the quarter under review as compared with $1,690 million in Q3 2017. Television reported quarterly segment OIBDA of $78 million, a decrease of $112 million compared to Q3-2017. The decline principally reflects the absence of advertising revenue and OIBDA generated from the broadcast of the Super Bowl in the prior year quarter. Additionally, Q3-2018 results reflect revenue and OIBDA declines from lower National Football League (NFL) post-season ratings and three fewer NFL broadcasts in the current quarter versus the prior year quarter that more than offset double-digit retransmission consent revenue growth and improved entertainment OIBDA contributions.

    Filmed entertainment

    Revenue from the filmed entertainment segment for Q3 2018 was almost flat. It declined by 0.6 per cent to $2,243 million from $2,256 million reported for the corresponding year ago quarter. Filmed entertainment generated quarterly segment OIBDA of $286 million, a 23 per cent decrease from the $373 million reported in the prior year. The OIBDA decline reflects lower contributions from the television production business due to higher deficits related to more new drama series delivered during the quarter and the absence of revenue from the prior year subscription video-on-demand licensing of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Additionally, during the quarter, the company incurred costs supporting FoxNext Games’ successful inaugural mobile game release, Marvel Strike Force. The segment’s revenue of $2.24 billion for the quarter was similar to Q3 2017 as higher theatrical revenue at the film studio reflecting the successful worldwide theatrical performances of The Greatest Showman, The Shape of Water and Maze Runner: The Death Cure was offset by lower worldwide syndication revenue at the television production business.

    Also Read :

    Lachlan Murdoch opens up about Fox & Star TV’s billion-dollar EBITDA target

    Comcast may renew bid for 21st CF

    Murdoch pledges funding to Sky News

  • Disney’s OTT plan not contingent on Fox deal: Bob Iger

    Disney’s OTT plan not contingent on Fox deal: Bob Iger

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger has said that the company’s plan to launch a direct-to-consumer entertainment streaming service does not hinge on completing its deal to acquire key 21st Century Fox TV and film assets.

    Speaking to Wall Street analysts about the company’s fiscal second quarter earnings, Iger said that the pending $52.4 billion buyout would enhance Disney’s offering. But the streaming service was envisioned prior to the Fox deal coming together and will be rooted in content carrying Disney’s gold-plated imprints: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.

    The fate of Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox has grown murkier in the past week as Comcast is taking steps to mount an all-cash counterbid that could put pressure on Disney to sweeten the terms of its all-stock takeover of 20th Century Fox, FX Networks, National Geographic Global Networks, and Fox’s regional sports networks.

    “It’s not dependent at all on the assets we’re buying from Fox,” Iger said. He emphasized that Disney is committed to making the bulk of its film and TV library available exclusively on its proprietary streaming service in order to make sure it is a must-have for families. That marks a significant investment from Disney in the decision to forgo third-party licensing coin.

    Iger said content from the Nat Geo channels would be a natural fit with the Disney-branded streaming service. Fox’s regional sports cablers will also be boon to the ESPN Plus sports streaming service that launched last month. But he reiterated that both services were conceived before the Fox assets were in the picture.

    Disney’s family-focused streaming service will launch by the end of 2019. The timing is dictated in part by the end of Disney’s theatrical output deal with Netflix, in order to ensure that recent Disney titles will have their pay-TV window on Disney’s service. Disney also needs time to develop original content for the service. Iger said more details on the original content plan will be revealed “in the coming months.”

    Iger did not address the potential for a showdown with Comcast over the 21st Century Fox assets, nor did he address Comcast’s bid to buy out the Sky satellite platform. Disney is set to acquire Fox’s 39 per cent stake in Sky, or more if Fox’s acquisition of the remainder of Sky is completed before the Disney-Fox acquisition is final. Comcast’s $31 billion bid for all of Sky has thrown a wrench in Fox’s plans for Sky. Fox sought to buy up the remainder of Sky for about $15 billion but the deal, first struck in December 2016, has been under heavy fire from U.K. lawmakers and bogged down in a regulatory review.

  • T for Taj Mahal’ trailer to be unveiled at Cannes

    T for Taj Mahal’ trailer to be unveiled at Cannes

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks Productions (SPNP) is all set to launch the trailer of their next film ‘T for Taj Mahal’ on an international platform.

    The trailer of the film will be unveiled at the India Pavilion in Cannes Film Festival on May 9th, 2018.

    Directed by six-time president’s national award winner Kireet Khurana, ‘T for Taj Mahal’ is a relevant and timely story exploring a subject that is a big challenge in the country – the lack of education.

    The film stars Subrat Dutta, US actress Ali Faulkner (The Twilight Saga – Breaking Dawn), Bidita Bag and Manoj Pahwa.

    ‘T for Taj Mahal’ is produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Abis Rizvi Films. Post Cannes the film will be presented at London Indian Film Festival in the month of June, 2018.

    The film will release theatrically in India later this year.

    Sneha Rajani, Deputy President & Head, Sony Pictures Networks Productions

    “ ‘T for Taj Mahal’ is a story that deserves to be seen by the global audience and a platform like the India Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival allows for the film fraternity across the world to sample it and help us take it as far and wide as possible. I truly hope everyone loves the film and will embrace the intent in its full glory.”

    Kireet Khurana, Director

    “I am grateful that SPNP is so committed to the film and is going the extra mile for something they believe in. A platform like Cannes allows the film to be presented to a wider audience, especially given the relevant subject. I am looking forward to the reactions post the trailer launch”

  • Crime Squad takes over the ‘AXN Premiere Club’ with 7 days, 7 new crime stories

    Crime Squad takes over the ‘AXN Premiere Club’ with 7 days, 7 new crime stories

    MUMBAI: A gut-wrenching murder trial, a deeply-engaging courtroom drama, or a deep-rooted mystery – a thrilling TV show always provides the best entertainment. This May, AXN’s ‘Crime Squad’ has laid the trap and set the stage with a promise that no criminal will go unpunished. Starting May 7, witness a new crime story every day of the week at 10PM only in ‘AXN Premiere Club’.

    The gripping line-up of shows includes the Primetime Emmy Award winning series, ‘Elementary S6’ on Mondays followed by the police procedural drama series ‘Blue Bloods S8’ and action-adventure-adrenaline filled drama series, ‘Macgyver S2’ on Tuesdays and Wednesdays respectively.

    Summertime madness continues with the reboot of iconic TV show ‘Hawaii Five-0 S8’ on Thursdays followed by the premiere of military drama series ‘NCIS: LA S9’ on Fridays. Viewers can end the week on a high with the action-drama series ‘Scorpion S4’ on Saturdays and courtroom drama ‘Bull S2’ on Sundays.

    Watch AXN for a whole lot of action, drama and adrenaline rush with shows that are not available on any OTT platform in India. Experience the Rush, Excitement and Dream every night at 10 pm.

  • OTT platforms boost appeal of English entertainment

    OTT platforms boost appeal of English entertainment

    MUMBAI: The over-the-top (OTT) space in India is exploding with broadcasters and new players taking the plunge to entertain the country. In such a scenario, even English entertainment content players aren’t far behind.

    With over a dozen channels in the genre and now even direct-to-home players contributing with value-added services (VAS), the market is likely to witness a significant jump in the number of consumers, hours of content consumed and revenue. Excluding VAS, the ad sales revenue for the English entertainment and movies market is Rs 600-700 crore.

    “Proliferation of OTT players has aided the appeal of English content in India, be it Hollywood or general entertainment. This is visible in the growth numbers for the English category, which has seen a growth in viewership in FY 18 as compared to FY 17,” says Sony Pictures Networks India EVP English channels Tushar Shah.

    Tata Sky has recently launched Tata Sky World Screen – a handpicked bouquet of international entertainment content. The VAS will not only feature Hollywood movies, but also prime content from across geographies and multiple languages like Arabic, Russian, Spanish, French and many more. The ad-free service will allow subscribers to view select series and movies from across the world round the clock. It is priced at Rs 75 a month and Tata Sky aims to drive up average revenue per user (ARPU) with international content.

    Tata Sky chief content officer Arun Unni says that the service targets a segment in which the genre is popular and is open to consume new content. “This kind of an offering doesn’t exist in the market. It is an alternative for those who are either already exposed or would not want to go on the purely digital option and even for those who do, they might find interesting and compelling content,” he adds.

    Critics claim that OTT is eating into traditional media. In an earlier interaction, Shah said, “There is always a churn between different platforms around the world. But this hasn’t led to viewership shrinking. Instead, it has grown by 54 per cent for the SPN English category between 2016 and 2017. The English movies genre overall has grown by 67 per cent in 2017.”

    Videocon d2h started a VAS named ‘Hollywood’ and ‘Hollywood HD’ long time back. The service was earlier priced at Rs 45 per month but now it has been reduced to Rs 38 per month excluding tax. The content is being sourced from seven top studios in Hollywood – Disney, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Fox, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and Paramount.

    According to FICCI Frames report, in 2017, English entertainment and other genres saw a reduction in their viewership because of rural panel weightage enhanced by the Broadcast Audience Research Council.

    OTT platforms in India have reached scale and now provide something for a vast array of audiences. Be it Eros Now with its huge library of Indian films, Zee5 with its wide regional offerings, Sony Liv and Hotstar with their TV content and premium sports while Hollywood rules the English entertainment offering.

     

  • Striking the right cord, ‘The Reunion’ trailer grabs 1.7 million Youtube and 1.2 million Facebook views

    Striking the right cord, ‘The Reunion’ trailer grabs 1.7 million Youtube and 1.2 million Facebook views

    Mumbai, April 26, 2018: The most talked about trailer this week is The Zoom Studio’s first original show, The Reunion…Jab They Met Again. Slated to premiere on Saturday, April 28 @7:30pm, the show has the young and talented Karishma Kohli making her debut as director of the show. Karishma has assisted Kabir Khan on many blockbusters including Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Tubelight and New York etc. The trailer of The Reunion… Jab They Met Again has already grabbed 1.7 million YouTube views & on Facebook, it has engaged 1.2 million audiences due to its cinematic-like narrative with high production values and visual appeal.

    Besides a promising compelling plot, the actors associated are great performers and have a huge fan following. The show features some talented young actors from the entertainment industry as a part of the star cast including young and quirky actress and model Sapna Pabbi (Breath, The Trip, 24, Khamoshiyan), talented Veer Rajwant Singh (What The Folks, Little Things), the popular face in ad-land Shreya Dhanwanthary (Ladies Room) and the dashing actor seen on TV and ad films Anuj Sachdeva (Sabki Laadli Bebo). 

    ‘The Reunion… Jab They Met Again’ is a 10-episode finite series from The Zoom Studios and will air every Saturday at 7: 30 PM. It is about a group of friends from Bourbon High’s class of 2008 who reunite after 10 years at a hill station where unresolved issues surface and play the party spoiler highlighting the fact that sometimes to look forward, it’s important to rewind and see how far you’ve come.

    Director Karishma Kohli says, “The response is very heart-warming and encouraging especially since it’s my first as a director. The concept of The Reunion is relatable to each one of us and the cast have played their roles to perfection in bringing alive the characters. I can’t wait for the premiere and look forward to audience response on the show.”

    Anuj Sachdeva says, “I am extremely thrilled with the positive feedback the trailer has received. We had a great time shooting for the show in Panchgani. I am pretty sure people will enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it. I’m sure most will start planning their own reunion after watching this show.” 

    Sapna Pabbi commented, “When I read the script of the show, I was just blown away. The friends that one makes at high school last a lifetime and I truly felt that I could easily connect to the content and relate to my character. I’m sure the show will get a massive response.”

    Veer Rajwant Singh says, “This has been an unforgettable journey. Frankly, I’m little nervous and excited at the same time. I’m looking forward to genuine feedback and hopefully everyone will love it.”

    Shreya Dhanwanthary commented, “We have worked with all our heart and soul for this show. I’m sure people will relate a lot with the Reunion. I can’t wait for 28th April and I wish it’ll get an immense response from the audiences.”