ITV

Category: GECs

  • Zee TV Canada goes HD on Telus

    Zee TV Canada goes HD on Telus

    MUMBAI: Zee TV Canada rolled out its HD version today. The number one south Asian women’s network in partnership with Ethnic Channels Group (ECG), Canada’s largest distributor of third language television services, launched Zee TV Canada in HD on Telus Channel number 2318.

     

    Zee TV Canada that was launched in February 2013 and expanded to HD in April 2013 by launching on Rogers, Bell and now goes a step ahead with its launch on Telus.  

     

    The south Asian audience is the fastest growing ethnic segment in Canada today. Zee America’s general manager Sameer Targe said: “As a market leader we have to continuously reinvent and offer more value to our subscribers. Expansion of our HD offering in Canada is in line with the same thought process. Our success in Canada in recent times only reinforces our belief in the Canadian market.”  

     

    “Zee TV Canada in HD redefines the television viewing experience. It is an experience in itself” added president of ECG Hari Srinivas.

  • Twitter: Strong IPO, followed by even stronger opening

    Twitter: Strong IPO, followed by even stronger opening

    MUMBAI: It began with a tweet on its twitter handle which stated: “We just priced our IPO.” Attached with the tweet was a screen shot of the offering announcement.

     

    And by the time Wednesday 6 November ended, the social networking site that has become a phenomenon across the globe had managed to raise $2.09 billion from its IPO, making it the seventh-largest US tech IPO ever, just ahead of Google, which raised $1.92 billion in its 2004 stock market debut, according to some estimates.

     

    But there was more in store for stockmarket observers and investors as trading began on Thursday morning. The Twitter share – under the TWTR ticker – spurted 90 plus per cent in value as it soared to $45 per share during early trades and then to a high of $50. This took up the valuation of the firm to $25 billion or 32 billion or so, at the time of writing.

     

    Yesterday’s $26 price valued the microblogging service at $18.34 billion, on a fully diluted basis. That is 16 to 17 times forecast 2014 sales, a premium to rivals including Facebook, LinkedIn and Yelp, according to some analysts.

     

    Twitter set an early price range of $17 to $20 for its IPO, which was considered cautious. But there was strong interest from investors, and the company was selling just 70 million of its 545 million shares, leaving an imbalance between supply and demand. That allowed the company and its bankers, led by Goldman Sachs’ Anthony Noto, to raise the range to $23 to $25 and then pick a final price above that.

     

    Analysts felt that the price should have been in the $21 range but the final pricing zipped past that. Other analyst and stock watchers had predicted that the share would go past the $40 market during day one’s trading. The IPO was as much as 30 times over-subscribed.

     

    While Twitter has a broad and powerful influence, its service is sometimes tricky to understand and use, which has reportedly limited the company’s growth. Twitter has about 230 million users, including heads of state and celebrities, while Facebook has more than one billion.

     

    However, Twitter lost $65 million in the latest quarter.

     

    Twitter is expected to generate $1.24 billion in sales in 2015, according to some projections. Its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margins will be roughly 6.5 per cent this year and 8.4 per cent in 2014, according to IPO underwriter forecasts that were shared with investors. In 2015, margins may jump to about 16 per cent, the estimates suggest.

     

    During an interview given to CNBC, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo is believed to have said that investors should not be concerned about the company’s current lack of profits, since its part of a plan to invest for the long term.

     

    It looks like the investment community and public is buying his story for now – at least.

  • Nat Geo airs docu on air traffic controllers

    Nat Geo airs docu on air traffic controllers

    MUMBAI: Ever wondered about the ease with which we travel by air, without the added concern of traffic or safety? Ever wondered how some of the busiest airports in the world bid farewell and simultaneously welcome thousands of people in the same breath? Ever spared a thought for the person responsible for the safety of millions? Well there’s more to the mere thoughts than meets the eye. National Geographic Channel (NGC) takes its viewers on an eye-opening journey into the world of Air Traffic Control with its half-an-hour special show titled Inside ATC that premieres on 10 November at 6:00 pm.

     

    National Geographic and FOX International Channels VP marketing Debarpita Banerjee said: “With each of our shows, we try to get our viewer to reflect on the world around them with a fresh perspective – a perspective that challenges them to think more, know more, engage more. With Inside ATC, the viewer gets a never-seen-before insider’s access to the hectic world of Air Traffic Control. With this half-an-hour special, our viewers would catch a glimpse of the time and effort that goes into guaranteeing the safety of all those who are air-bound.”

     

    Known for its innovative content and programming that inspires viewers to broaden their imagination and think out of the box, NGC, in association with the Airport Authority of India, gives viewers yet another riveting show that captures the world of Air Traffic Control in India. The half-an-hour special coverage tells the story of a dedicated team of controllers, stationed at 80 control towers across India, with a single agenda on their mind – avoiding mishaps at any given point of time, be it in air or on the ground.

     

    AAI chairman V P Agrawal said: “The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure, both on the ground and air space in the country. With Inside ATC, we are glad to provide viewers a close look at the functioning of the ATC; and showcase the dedication and precision with which these controllers function. AAI is proud to be associated with the country’s leading infotainment channel – National Geographic Channel – to develop and present this special show.”

  • Indian content to ‘Glow’ in South Africa

    Indian content to ‘Glow’ in South Africa

    MUMBAI: If you were ever in doubt about the cross-border reach of Indian television content, here’s some solid proof.

    A recently launched South African TV channel – Glow TV, in the business of syndicating and displaying content from across the globe, will give SA audiences a taste of our home-grown television shows such as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen (Sony), No Big Deal (NDTV) and Koffee with Karan (Star India).

    An FTA channel, Glow TV, will also telecast UK-based Indian shows like The Kumars at No 42 and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

    The first television channel from Kagiso Media, Glow TV, is a partnership between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, and calls itself ‘Eastern inspired’. This is its first television offering as it has a significant holding in the radio business.

    With the Census 2011 pegging the Indian population in South Africa at 1.3 million, a majority of which lives in and around the city of Durban, Glow TV will mainly cater to this segment.

    Yusuf Nabee says that the channel will give what people have been asking for- universal story lines and great production quality

    “We believe that there is no channel which caters to this market in the free-to-air arena. Whilst our primary target market is the South African Indian audience between the ages of 20 – 45 years, we do believe that our content has great crossover appeal and will attract audiences across the South African market,” says Glow TV head Yusuf Nabee.

    Apart from India, content is also being sourced from various distributors in countries like Brazil and the US. As of now, Glow TV has no original content but that will be part of phase two and will be produced by its subsidiary, Urban Brew Studios. “We will look at content in all languages – our main criteria are compelling entertainment and high production values,” says Nabee.

    People today are looking at great content, high production values and universal story lines, all of which Glow TV can provide, according to Nabee. “Glow is a cleverly tailored offering that brings comedy, drama, movies, reality, food and game shows, in one easy-to-access, free-to-air offering,” he exults.

    Currently, Glow TV is only looking at adding English sub-titles though there are plans to dub shows in future.

     
    Nilesh Kriplani says that this deal will give their shows great value

    But why would Indian television channels like Sony, NDTV and Star India want to be a part of this new channel?

    For Sony, it is about supporting an upcoming channel of a parent they have known for the last two to three years. “Although our channel is already known in Africa, this deal adds value to our library content and also increases awareness,” says Sony Entertainment Network Exec VP Syndication Nitesh Kriplani.

    For Star India, it is about expanding into Africa with its linear channels as well as syndication. “Kagiso was looking for top-quality Indian content to populate Glow TV programming and Star being the biggest content creator of India, was a natural destination for Kagiso. So, we found great synergies in working together to further our expansion plans in Africa,” says Star India senior VP commercial Ashutosh Mordekar, adding, “For now, just the first two seasons of Koffee with Karan are being shared, but more shows are in discussion.”

    Star India is expanding its reach to Africa says Ashutosh Mordekar

    With Glow TV yet to pick up in the market, all deals are only for a period of two to three years. Also, with all syndicated shows, the channel is presently relying on advertisers for revenue. A package called ‘Glow Watt Bundles’ has been designed for Indian advertisers with a presence in South Africa. Kagiso Media has entitled its ad sales rights exclusively to H2O Media for all advertisers based in India. H2O is a media marketing company that markets Indian content that caters to the NRI community to Indian advertisers.

    Currently, Glow TV is only available on the Open View HD satellite bouquet along with 14 other channels. An initial amount of ZAR 1600 has to be paid for acquiring the set top box, satellite dish and for installation that is paid to Open View HD whose USP is ‘pay once-enjoy forever’.

    However, plans are afoot to bring in more channels under the Glow TV umbrella in future when South Africa shifts from analogue to digital TV. With the way things are shaping, more Indian shows are set to be aired on Glow TV as well.

  • Indian content to Glow in South Africa

    Indian content to Glow in South Africa

    MUMBAI: If you were ever in doubt about the cross-border reach of Indian television content, here’s some solid proof.

    A recently launched South African TV channel – Glow TV, in the business of syndicating and displaying content from across the globe, will give SA audiences a taste of our home-grown television shows such as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen (Sony), No Big Deal (NDTV) and Koffee with Karan (Star India).

    An FTA channel, Glow TV, will also telecast UK-based Indian shows like The Kumars at No 42 and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

    The first television channel from Kagiso Media, Glow TV, is a partnership between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, and calls itself ‘Eastern inspired’. This is its first television offering as it has a significant holding in the radio business.

    With the Census 2011 pegging the Indian population in South Africa at 1.3 million, a majority of which lives in and around the city of Durban, Glow TV will mainly cater to this segment.

    “We believe that there is no channel which caters to this market in the free-to-air arena. Whilst our primary target market is the South African Indian audience between the ages of 20 – 45 years, we do believe that our content has great crossover appeal and will attract audiences across the South African market,” says Glow TV head Yusuf Nabee.

    Yusuf Nabee says that the channel will give what people have been asking for- universal story lines and great production quality

    Apart from India, content is also being sourced from various distributors in countries like Brazil and the US. As of now, Glow TV has no original content but that will be part of phase two and will be produced by its subsidiary, Urban Brew Studios. “We will look at content in all languages – our main criteria are compelling entertainment and high production values,” says Nabee.

    People today are looking at great content, high production values and universal story lines, all of which Glow TV can provide, according to Nabee. “Glow is a cleverly tailored offering that brings comedy, drama, movies, reality, food and game shows, in one easy-to-access, free-to-air offering,” he exults.

    Currently, Glow TV is only looking at adding English sub-titles though there are plans to dub shows in future.

    But why would Indian television channels like Sony, NDTV and Star India want to be a part of this new channel?

     

     
    Nilesh Kriplani says that this deal will give their shows great value

     

    For Sony, it is about supporting an upcoming channel of a parent they have known for the last two to three years. “Although our channel is already known in Africa, this deal adds value to our library content and also increases awareness,” says Sony Entertainment Network Exec VP Syndication Nitesh Kriplani.

     

    For Star India, it is about expanding into Africa with its linear channels as well as syndication. “Kagiso was looking for top-quality Indian content to populate Glow TV programming and Star being the biggest content creator of India, was a natural destination for Kagiso. So, we found great synergies in working together to further our expansion plans in Africa,” says Star India senior VP commercial Ashutosh Mordekar, adding, “For now, just the first two seasons of Koffee with Karan are being shared, but more shows are in discussion.”

    Star India is expanding its reach to Africa says Ashutosh Mordekar

    With Glow TV yet to pick up in the market, all deals are only for a period of two to three years. Also, with all syndicated shows, the channel is presently relying on advertisers for revenue. A package called ‘Glow Watt Bundles’ has been designed for Indian advertisers with a presence in South Africa. Kagiso Media has entitled its ad sales rights exclusively to H2O Media for all advertisers based in India. H2O is a media marketing company that markets Indian content that caters to the NRI community to Indian advertisers.

    Currently, Glow TV is only available on the Open View HD satellite bouquet along with 14 other channels. An initial amount of ZAR 1600 has to be paid for acquiring the set top box, satellite dish and for installation that is paid to Open View HD whose USP is ‘pay once-enjoy forever’.

    However, plans are afoot to bring in more channels under the Glow TV umbrella in future when South Africa shifts from analogue to digital TV. With the way things are shaping, more Indian shows are set to be aired on Glow TV as well.

  • Sony Entertainment takes HD route in the US

    Sony Entertainment takes HD route in the US

    MUMBAI: From now on, viewers in America can enjoy their favorite SET (Sony Entertainment Television) Asia programmes including some of the popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Sanjeev Kapoor Ke Kitchen Khiladi, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana and the World Television Premier blockbusters in high definition (HD).

    Recently, the network — part of Multi Screen Media (MSM) — announced that it had made its HD feed available on direct to home platform Dish and the IPTV service Dishworld. While most Indian channels are already available as a part of several packages on Dish and DishWorld, the only ones that also have a HD version are Zee TV, Star India Plus and Willow Cricket. Amongst the GECs, the only one which is yet to get its HD channels running in the US is Colors.

    Talking about the development, SVP of International Business, head of North America Jaideep Janakiram said in a press release: “Sony Entertainment Network has always embraced excellence in content and quality, going HD is another step in that direction. SET Asia will continue to keep its viewers in the entertainment forefront, and I am sure that our consumers will enjoy the enhanced viewer experience.”

    Industry sources say that the HD offerings by Indian GECs have not found too many takers as yet in the US and that it is still at a very nascent stage there and it would require some time to grow. “But it would reap benefits,” says IndiaCast group COO Gaurav Gandhi, who believes that the US is probably the most lucrative amongst international markets for Indian broadcasters. “The Indian TV networks have been earning a lot from the American market, especially with popular channels like Star, Zee, Colors and Sony,” says Gandhi.

    Indian channels are classified in the south Asian bouquet provided by Dish in the US. And they are available in various packages, according to its website. At the top of the heap is the Mega Pack, which offers blockbuster movies, music videos, action-packed thrillers, the biggest reality shows, sitcoms, family drama, up-to the minute news and current affairs, and lifestyle at $54.99 per month.

    “Hindi Mega Pack is the No 1 choice for Hindi Television Entertainment in the US and is sure to enthrall every member of the family…with no activation fee and free standard installation,” writes Dish on its website.

    The two platforms have many more interesting packages on offer that clubs some of the popular channels. Interestingly, DishWorld offers an exclusive “Sony Package” at $ 14.95 per month that has on offer all the four channels — Sony HD, SET MAX, SAB and Sony Mix. Besides, the package also includes “13 great English International channels” for free including Eurochannel, Euronews, Trace Urban, Blue Ocean Network, Baby TV, Ebru TV, LUXE TV, France 24 (English), Fashion TV, Zoom, NDTV 24/7, RT and Bloomberg.

    Dish too has special packages. A package that clubs Zee and Sony is available at $ 24.99 per month and includes Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Televison Asia, both HD and standard definition. The package in its programming also includes game shows, live concerts and talk shows daily news feeds, music videos and more.

    Another package, available at the same price, has Sony Entertainment Television Asia and Aapka Colors and the programming includes fresh new shows, dramas and serials, news and movies from Bollywood, the biggest reality shows and a lot of other things.

    Other packages in which Sony Entertainment Television Asia is available are Hindi: Premium at $44.99, Hindi: Super at $39.99 and Hindi Elite at $34.99 per month each.

    Interestingly, SET Asia HD will be available on both Dish platforms at no additional cost to subscribers. Satellite customers can just tune in on HD channel 9663; subscribers who do not have an HD receiver can only access SET Asia in standard definition on channel 695.

    Dish director of programming, Sruta Vootukuru said: “DISH is the leading provider of HD international content to viewers in the US, and we are pleased to add SET Asia HD to this impressive lineup. We remain committed to offering the best programming options to our nation’s South Asian communities interested in high-definition entertainment from their home countries.”

  • Facebook says 48% of daily active users and 49% of ad revenue come from mobile

    Facebook says 48% of daily active users and 49% of ad revenue come from mobile

    NEW DELHI: Facebook has claimed that mobile ad revenues and usage will soon outperform desktop ad revenues and usage.

    In its third quarterly earnings press meet, Facebook co-founder and CEO Zuckerberg said 48 per cent of its daily active users only use mobile devices while 49 per cent of its total ad revenues come from mobile ads.

    Zuckerberg said Facebook ads raked in nearly $890 million in revenues during the third quarter through the company’s app install ads, mobile engagement ads, and so on.

    The announcement means the company is heading in the right direction to meet its Q2 prediction that mobile ad revenues will surpass desktop ad revenues by year-end.

    Facebook mobile MAUs gained 45 per cent more than last past year, from 604 million MAUs in Q2 2012 to 874 million MAUs in Q3 2013.

     

    Facebook mobile MAUs include Facebook users who only use mobile devices and mobile users who occasionally use desktop devices to access Facebook services.

     

    The 45 per cent statistic for mobile MAUs had more than twice as much growth as overall MAUs, up 18 per cent from $1.007 million in Q2 2013 to $1.189 million in Q3 2013.

     

    Facebook remarked that its statistical figures exclude usage from Instagram-only users, but Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg delivered figures on the length of time consumers spend on Facebook’s mobile platform if combined with the photo-based social network.

     

    Sandberg said Facebook and Instagram accounts for a combined 20 per cent of total time spent on mobile devices and 12.5 per cent of total time spent on desktop devices every month in the US.

     

    Sandberg noted that Facebook accounts for more mobile minutes in the US than the combined minutes of YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Pandora, Yahoo, Tumblr, and AOL, even though comScore research results suggest it may have included Instagram data.

     

    Facebook noted that MAUs only access the company’s services through mobile devices is at 254 million

     

    With a total of 1.19 billion Facebook MAUs, the company grew 2.3 per cent of MAUs that only use mobile devices to access it, from 19 per cent in Q2 2013 to 21.3 per cent in Q3 2013.

     

    According to the latest figures, Facebook mobile DAUs across the world are up by 38 million from Q2 2013, whereas MAUs are up by 55 million from the same period.

  • Zynga asked to change logo following Scrabble trademark row

    Zynga asked to change logo following Scrabble trademark row

    NEW DELHI: Online social game maker Zynga has been asked to change the logo of its ‘Scramble With Friends’ word Game.

     

    US-based Mattel, the world’s biggest toy manufacturer owning brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price Toys, as well as Scrabble, alleged that Zynga’s use of the word ‘Scramble’ infringed the trademarks as it was too close to the word ‘Scrabble’.

     

    While giving a judgment in favour of Zynga, a High Court judge ruled that while the name did not infringe the trademark, the use of a curly letter M in the logo ‘gives the impression that the word is Scrabble when one looks at it quickly and has the propensity to confuse’, and therefore it needed to be changed, the BBC reports.

    Mattel spokesman Alan Hilowitz said that while it appreciated the ruling for finding similarities between Zynga’s ‘Scramble With Friends’ logo and Mattel’s intellectual property, the company was disappointed that the court did not rule that Zynga should cease using the name altogether.

     

    Hiolwitz said that Mattel intends to further appeal the ruling.

     

    Recently, Zynga was involved into another trademark row with casual sex app maker ‘Bang With Friends’ for its infringement of ‘With Friends’ trademark.

     

  • Volkswagen Motorsport India develops Rally-Spec Polo R2 Testing to begin at the Bangalore Round of INRC

    Volkswagen Motorsport India develops Rally-Spec Polo R2 Testing to begin at the Bangalore Round of INRC

    MUMBAI: Volkswagen Motorsport India will begin the testing of Polo R2, a specially developed rally car, during the upcoming IMS K-1000 Rally at Bangalore. Multi-APRC title holder Karamjit Singh, who has been driving for Team Slideways Industries, will get behind the wheel of the newly developed prototype. The Polo R2 will compete in a new category that will be introduced by FMSCI in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) 2014.

     

    Volkswagen Motorsport India has been the pioneer of one-make car racing series in India. Polo Cup started in 2010 and is now in its fourth successful season. While young talent has been identified, trained and promoted to international racing series through the Polo R Cup series over the last few years, it was time for Volkswagen Motorsport India to expand to other forms of motorsport in India. The logical step was taken with the extension of technical support to rally teams competing with Volkswagen Polo in the Indian National Rally Championship.

     

    In an effort to further promote our association with Indian motorsport, Volkswagen Motorsport India has now developed its first prototype of the Volkswagen Polo R2 – a rally-spec version of the Polo. The Polo R2 will compete in a new category R2 that will be introduced by FMSCI in IRC from 2014 season. Before entering the competitive season, the Polo R2 will be tested at upcoming IMS K-1000 Rally in Bangalore and then at the Chikmaglur Rally in December 2013.

     

    The Polo R2 is powered with a four cylinder 1.6-litre MPI petrol engine that produces over 130 PS of power. The engine has been mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. Other modifications to the car include Reiger Suspension and uprated Alcon brakes (285mm front disc and 255mm rear disc). The bodywork modifications comprise of aerodynamic body kit, rear spoiler, a roof vent and stripped interiors. From safety point of view, the car has been equipped with FIA-spec roll-cage, fire extinguisher system and OMP rally seats with six-point harness for the driver and navigator. The Polo R2 will run on 15-inch alloy wheels shod with JK Rally tyres.

     

    Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said “The first running in of the car has been done and the feedback has been good so far. Karamjit Singh has been driving the Group N Polo this season for which we have been providing technical and spares support at the rally stages. He will now move up to the R2 which is a more powerful car. His inputs are crucial for us in developing the car further and we hope to see some positive steps after the K-1000 Rally.”

     

    Mahesh Kodumudi, President and Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, commented “The Volkswagen Polo is a perfect example of German engineering. And when the engineering is right, it is always possible to extract more out of the car. Pushing the performance of the car to the limits and putting it through extreme driving will only bring out the Polo’s real potential. I believe that the Polo R2 is our next step in showcasing the capabilities of the car.”

     

    Motor sports enthusiasts interested in getting further information can log on to the website, www.volkswagen-motorsport.in. This website displays information about all the activities undertaken by Volkswagen Motorsport India.
    Follow Volkswagen Motorsport India on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vwindiam and Twitter: www.twitter.com/vwmotorsportind

  • Six ATN channels launch on Canada’s Bell Fibe TV

    Six ATN channels launch on Canada’s Bell Fibe TV

    MUMBAI: Asian Television Network (ATN) International has launched six new channels on Bell Fibe TV, an IP based TV service offered by Bell Canada. Four of them are in collaboration with India’s public service and largest terrestrial broadcaster Doordarshan and the other two with SAB TV Network.

    The channels are GEC ATN-DD India, news channel ATN-DD News, cultural and lifestyle channel ATN DD Bharati, Urdu GEC ATN-DD Urdu, comedy channel ATN – Dhammal and music channel ATN- Mastiii. “We have aggressive plans to add substantial value to our Diaspora and enhance our strong Customer base on a Consumer oriented Pick and Pay Model across Canada,” says ATN CEO and president Shan Chandrasekar.

     

    Earlier this year, ATN collaborated with DD to launch five channels in Canada earlier this year. It had said that it wanted to expand its base through cable, satellite and IPTV platforms across Canada. ATN has 44 channels to its list.

    Bell Fibe TV was launched three years ago and it is expected to be available to about five million households by 2015.

    ATN caters to the Indian population in Canada. It is also a major distributor of cricket programming in the country.