ITV

Category: GECs

  • Max gears up for the cricket World Cup

    Max gears up for the cricket World Cup

    MUMBAI: With seven weeks to go before the biggest sports event of the year the cricket World Cup kicks off Max is gearing up to create buzz around the event.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Max business head Sneha Rajani says that Extraaa Innings the wrap around show kicks off at 5 pm on each match day. Since matches get over in the wee hours of the morning the pre show will start with a review of the previous match with the expert panel.

    It will then go on to previewing the upcoming match. This time around some matches will also air on the English movie channel Pix in case Max and Sab cannot accomodate them. Besides the first couple of Extraaa Innings Charu Sharma and Mandira Bedi the channel has commentators like Geoffrey Boycott, former Indian cricket coach John Wright who will provide an insider’s touch, Barry Richards and Ian Chappell. Max is also in the process of finding someone to send to the West Indies to join its commentary team with its Host Ka Dost hunt.

    Max has kicked off promotional activity for the World Cup with an on air campaign. The message is that one world will be converging in the West Indies to watch the event.

    The campaign is feel good and light in the spirit of the Caribbean which is known for its relaxed, fun atmosphere. From Friday a series of countdown spots will air to build anticipation. Rajani adds that no cricketers have been used. There will be calypso music to give viewers a feel of the upcoming event.

    On the ground the channel will conduct a roadshow next month. A van will visit 150 cities in a bid to get fans to express their support for the boys in blue. The winning placard will be sent to the Indian team. Rajani conceedes that the fact that matches finish late might impact viewing particularly for the non India games. The hope is that the matches will be involving enough so that viewers do not mind going to bed late even if the likes of Saurav and Sachin are not involved.

    The World Cup will be used to push Indian Idol 3 which is expected to kick off sometime in the May – June period on Sony. It will also push Max’s blockbusters which will kick off from May. Key shows on Sony and Sab will also be pushed.

  • Princess Diana TV interview voted number one in UK poll

    Princess Diana TV interview voted number one in UK poll

    MUMBAI: In a recent poll of about 3,000 television viewers in Britain conducted for UKTV Gold, Martin Bashir’s television interview of the late Princess Diana in 1995 was voted as the most memorable.

    Sir David Frost’s 1977 interview with post-Watergate Richard Nixon, in which the former American president admitted letting his country down, came second.

    The interview with Princess Diana was watched by an estimated 15 million people – a record for Panorama and one of the BBC’s highest-ever audience figures.

    She spoke frankly about her depression and bulimia, her children, the media and the future of the monarchy.

    She admitted to having an affair with her riding instructor, James Hewitt, and spoke of the hurt caused by Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles.

    Actor Hugh Grant’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1995 also made the top 10.
     

  • NGC unleashes ‘Fists of Fury’ next month

    NGC unleashes ‘Fists of Fury’ next month

    MUMBAI: National Geographic Channel will next month kick of a new show Fists of Fury. It will offer viewers a journey into the world of Martial Arts.

    The show aims to give viewers an insight into what is martial art myth and what is not, an insight into what it takes to be a martial arts champion, a countdown of the best killing weapons, revealing the reality behind the deadly martial arts using scientific breakthroughs and gripping footage.

    The show premieres on 12 February, 2007 at 10 pm. The show looks at the deadly weapons and daring warriors that have shaped legend, confounded science and astounded the world. Viewers will discover how exotic weapons are designed to kill in gruesome ways, marvel at the sheer power of the human body tested to its limits, and admire the hidden strength of a Samurai sword. Learn the secrets of martial arts’ mysterious past-and meet the face of its inspiring future.
    NGC India senior VP programming Joy Bhattacharjya said, ” Fists of Fury promises to make our viewers rethink the abilities of the most lethal weapon in the world – the human body. It is an action-packed look at some of the most ancient deadly arts, which brings to light the science behind the legends we have read about and seen in the movies. The series is sure to get every person with any interest in Martial Arts completely hooked.”

    The series will feature 10 films. They include Fight Science 1 and 2, Kung Fu Monk and Samurai Sword.

    NGC India VP marketing Rajesh Sheshadri says, “Fists of Fury is a truly sensational offering, which takes a look at Martial Arts from every possible angle. Can you kill with a single blow? What is the most potent weapon? To what it takes to win a kick-fighting championship and how a Shaolin Monk disciple is transforming an ancient Eastern tradition into a stunning Western sensation and lots more. We have a superb line-up of episodes as part of the series and are planning some exciting promotions to provide a 360 degree experience to our viewers and advertising partners.”

  • Zee Entertainment Q3 net up 179 per cent at Rs 958 million

    Zee Entertainment Q3 net up 179 per cent at Rs 958 million

    MUMBAI: Having gained market share in the TV ratings game, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is seeing a surge in earnings with third-quarter consolidated revenues growing 53 per cent to touch Rs 4.18 billion.

    Net profit also saw robust growth for the fiscal third quarter ended 31 December, jumping 179 per cent to Rs 958 million.

    The consolidated operating profit stood at Rs 1.36 billion, after expensing of initial investments in new activities (Zee Sports, Arabia) amounting to Rs 232 million. These are higher by 187 per cent as compared to the year-ago period.

    The results include the financials of Taj TV Ltd (Ten Sports) with effect from 13 November, ETC, international and educational businesses of Zee.

    Zee will separately announce the results of its other demerged entities – Zee News Ltd (ZNL), Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL) and Dish TV. While ZNL and WWIL are already listed, Dish TV is likely to be listed by February.

    Fuelling ZEEL’s third-quarter growth has been a 59 per cent rise in advertising revenues to Rs 2.1 billion, benefitting largely from Zee TV’s prime time ratings gain and higher average rates on most of the network channels.

    “Zee Entertainment finished the third quarter with outstanding performance, highlighted by strong advertising revenue growth of 59 per cent, extremely robust operating profit growth of 187 per cent and 179 per cent growth in net earnings. Our television broadcasting business continues to lead industry in converting rating success into strong growth in revenues and operating profits. The performance reflects our success in delivering superior content to viewers and stronger relationship with our consumers,” says Zee chairman Subhash Chandra.

    Adds Zee wholetime director Punit Goenka, “Zee TV continued to increase its viewership share from 28 per cent in 2Q FY2007 to 29 per cent during 3Q FY2007, along with growth in time spent. During the quarter, average gross ratings points (GRPs) of Zee TV grew to 250 levels, with gains coming mainly from prime time. The growth has been led by continued success of ‘ Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ , Saat Phere’ and ‘ Kasamh Se’, while our new launches ‘ Dulhan’ and ‘Betiyan’ have helped bolster the prime time shares. Zee TV now has five programmes in top 20 and 11 programmes in top 50.”

    Zee also saw gains in the other channels. “Zee Cinema continues to be the No. 1 movie channel, and increasingly is becoming a reach channel for the advertisers. Zee Café and Zee Studio have gained shares. We will continue to reinforce our competitive advantage and deliver more value to viewers and shareholders,” says Goenka.

    Contributing to the strong third-quarter performance was a 55 per cent surge in subscription revenues at Rs 1.96 billion. This was bolstered by new revenue streams coming from direct-to-home (DTH) services and digital cable. Other sales and services was Rs 116 million.

    “We are extremely pleased to see the steady steps towards digitization of the Indian cable and satellite industry. Conditional access system (Cas) has been successfully implemented in the notified areas of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. With more subscribers opting for digital services even in other parts of the country, it will give a big boost to our subscription revenues in the near future. Our investment in Ten Sports is doing well. All these have extremely positive and long term impact on our business,” says Chandra.

    Elaborating on the performance, ZEEL CEO Pradeep Guha says, “We are pleased with the strong operating results in the third quarter. We have outperformed the market locking in higher advertising rates which would continue to help us in the future. Looking ahead, we are confident that continued execution of our content strategy would result in a revenue growth faster than that of industry. Additionally, with digitization of Indian cable and satellite industry, we expect to reap a rich harvest from subscription based revenues.”

    Sports business adds Rs 610 million to kitty

    The sports business revenue during the third quarter was Rs 610 million, after consolidating the results of Taj TV from 13 November 2006. EBITDA from Sports business during this quarter was Rs 133 million.

    “The main event for Ten Sports during the quarter was the Pakistan-West Indies series, which helped it garner significant revenues from the Pakistan and the Middle East beams. This was in addition to its other lead programs such as WWE, UEFA and Champions League. Ten Sports has also begun the telecast of the South Africa-Pakistan series on its Pakistan beam,” Zee says in a statement.

    “Zee Sports continued to grow on the Indian football opportunities; it covered the Asian Football Confederation under 20 championships in Kolkata in November and the Federation Cup in December. India is fast becoming a focus area for the world football governing body FIFA as well. Among some of the other events that Zee Sports covered was the Delhi Marathon, WTA tennis and the Italian Serie A. Zee Sports also bagged a three-year deal for the UEFA Cup,” the release adds.

    On a standalone basis, ZEEL posted a net profit of Rs 793.70 million for the quarter ended 31 December 2006 from Rs 341.60 a year earlier. Total income stood at Rs 2.46 billion as against Rs 2.4 billion during the same period.

    Condensed statement of operations

    The table below presents the condensed statement of operations for ZEEL and its subsidiaries for the third quarter of FY2007 versus FY2006, as published. The FY2006 numbers also include the cable, news and direct consumer business undertakings, which have now been demerged. Hence the numbers are not comparable.

    Comparable figures with FY06

    For better understanding of performance of ZEEL, the table below presents the proforma FY2006 numbers of ZEEL, on a comparable basis. These numbers are illustrative of the performance on a like to like basis.

    Segment-wise revenue streams

    The following table sets forth the percentage of revenues that each type contribute to consolidated revenues for the third quarter of 2007 and 2006.

    Comparable figures with FY06

    For better understanding of performance of ZEEL, the table below presents the proforma FY2006 numbers of ZEEL, on a comparable basis.

    Expenses account

    The following table sets forth the percentage of costs that each type contributes to consolidated expenses for the third quarter of 2007 and 2006.

    FY06 Expense chart

    For better understanding of performance of ZEEL, the table below presents the proforma FY2006 numbers of ZEEL, on a comparable basis. These numbers are illustrative.

    Segment-wise performance

    ZEEL is a diversified entertainment company with a multi-pillar approach to business. Its operations lie in three segments: (i) Content and broadcasting, (ii) Film Production and distribution and (iii) Education.

    The table below presents Zee’s third quarter performance for FY2007 in the key segments.

  • Moser Baer acquires home video rights for Telugu movies from Baba Arts

    Moser Baer acquires home video rights for Telugu movies from Baba Arts

    MUMBAI: Moser Baer has sgned an exclusive agreement with Baba Arts Ltd to manufacture, market and distribute VCDs and DVDs of over 450 Telugu movie titles for the company in the Indian market. The rights will be for a eight-year period.

    Baba Arts Ltd is the sole copy right holder of over 450 Telugu Titles. The Company has entered into this tie up as the Telugu video market is seeing pacy growth. Baba Arts Ltd can exploit the manufacturing and marketing capabilities of Moser Baer to generate income and realise profits.

    Baba Arts Ltd had entered the Telugu market in 2006 and since then has acquired titles like Bhakta Prahlad, 10 Class, Manasantha Noove, Veede, Bobby, Bombay Priyadu, Varshani, Chennakesava Reddy, Bhatka Tukaram, Dil, Illarikam.
     

  • Oprah is America’s favourite TV personality for fifth year in row

    Oprah is America’s favourite TV personality for fifth year in row

    MUMBAI: For the fifth year in a row, Oprah Winfrey has topped a Harris Poll in the US which asked people who their favourite television personality is.

    Jon Stewart who hosts the satirical new show The Daily Show is in second place for the second year, while Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly moves up one notch to third place.

    Next is a newcomer to the list — Hugh Laurie whom stars in the television show House who debuts in fourth place. He won a Golden Globe for his role last week. Veteran late night talk show host David Letterman drops from number three to fifth place.

    Letterman’s arch rival, Jay Leno, is number six on the list (dropping from 2005 when he was tied for fourth place). In the Harris Poll 1,162 US adults were surveyed online from 12-18 December, 2006 by Harris Interactive.

    Besides Laurie, there are two other new TV personalities who make it into the top 10 list, one for the first time and one from previous years. Ray Romano returns at number seven while the star of 24 Kiefer Sutherland, who plays counter terrorism agent Jack Bauer makes his debut on the list, tied for eighth place. Rounding out the top 10 are Ellen DeGeneres who will host the Oscar Awards and Conan O’Brien, who are also tied for eighth place on this list.

    DeGeneres dropped from number six while O’Brien dropped from number seven. Three people dropped off the list: Jerry Seinfeld , George Lopez and comedian Tim Allen. Interestingly, the list lost three sitcom stars and gained two drama stars and one sitcom star. This might be an indication of what types of television shows viewers are watching.

    Not surprisingly, there are differences in favourite television personality when it comes to some demographic breaks. Women cite Oprah as their top television personality, but men choose O’Reilly. There are also interesting age breaks: Echo Boomers (ages 18 to 29) say that Conan O’Brien is number one. GenXers (ages 30 to 41) turn away from talk shows and say that Laurie is their favorite television personality. Baby Boomers (ages 42 to 60) say that Oprah is their favourite while Matures (ages 61 and over) say that it is O’Reilly.

    Finally, even with television stars, political boundaries are drawn. Conservatives say that O’Reilly is number one while liberals say that Stewart is their favourite.

  • Zee TV to soon have entertainment channel sibling; Zee Next working title

    Zee TV to soon have entertainment channel sibling; Zee Next working title

    MUMBAI: Star Plus has it, so too does Sony’s SET channel; and now Subhash Chandra’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd will soon have it as well – a flanking channel that is.

    If all goes according to schedule, Zeel will be launching a sibling to its flagship channel Zee TV within the next three to five months. While the name of the channel is yet to be finalized as yet, reliable sources at Zeel say that it has been given a working title Zee Next.
    Zee Next is envisioned as a metro-centric entertainment channel that will have content that in scope and feel will be quite similar to what was envisaged for Star Plus’ sibling Star One, when it first launched in late 2004, the sources say.

    This news comes alongside the further closing of the channel share gap between Zee TV and Star Plus in the latest ratings issued by Tam Media. Tam is now beginning to deliver better numbers as function of new markets being added to the panel as well as expansion in peoplemeter numbers.

    Overall, Star Plus’s gross rating points (GRPs) are down from 518 in December to 403 this week. Zee’s GRPs have also dropped from 240 in December to 217 in the current week.

    There are those in the industry who question Zee’s move to launch another entertainment flanking channel, saying that it would only distract Zee TV from a focused assault on Star Plus. The logic of the new channel is reportedly that it will essentially be targeted as a channel that is focused more at marking its presence on addressable systems. That Zee owns both cable (WWIL) and DTH (Dish) platforms also means that packages can be created that will push the new channel to the maximum possible.

  • Adlabs Films completes acquisition of Synergy Communications

    Adlabs Films completes acquisition of Synergy Communications

    MUMBAI: Adlabs Films Ltd has completed the process of acquiring a controlling stake in Siddhartha Basu’s TV content company Synergy Communications.

    Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that Adlabs was buying a majority stake in Basu’s company. The new entity will be called Synergy Adlabs Ltd, subject to regulatory approval.
    Basu would continue to lead Synergy Adlabs’ strategy and business operations as chairman and managing director, the company said in a statement.

    In addition to Siddhartha and Anita Kaul Basu, the board would be strengthened by Adlabs Films wholetime director Pooja Shetty, Reliance Capital senior vice president Anil Arjun and Adlabs Films chief financial officer Venkat Devarajan.

    “Synergy Adlabs is envisaged to contribute sizeable revenues to the overall revenue pie of Adlabs Films by March 2008. The intention is to enhance Synergy’s production operations and scale up content to include high-quality popular fiction, youth-based shows, non-fiction content (including reality and lifestyle shows) and international content,” the statement added.

    Synergy Communications has done over 30 televised series and produced over 2000 hours of content. Among the popular shows include Kaun Banega Crorepati, Jhalak Dikkhla Jaa and Mastermind India.

  • Orange partners with record labels to extend its music portfolio, offer unlimited music videos

    Orange partners with record labels to extend its music portfolio, offer unlimited music videos

    MUMBAI: To coincide with the Midem music trade show, mobile firm Orange is bringing out a new unlimited subscription plan for video-on-demand, available on Orange TV in France.

    A catalogue of music programmes will be on offer for 4.99 euros a month with more than 300 long clips like concerts, documentaries, TV programmes, etc and 2,000 video clips.

    The new offer is the latest addition to the extensive Orange music portfolio which covers nine countries and allows customers to access an international catalogue of 1 million titles following agreements with both major international and independent record labels.

    The new offer gives Orange TV subscribers in France unlimited use of a wide choice of music content. They can enjoy on-demand access to the entire catalogue of music programmes with leading artists including Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Shakira.

    Subscribers can select a title from more than 300 longer clips (concerts, documentaries, TV programmes, etc.) and 2,000 video clips from any musical genre. These titles are made available through partnerships with:

    * Sony BMG

    * EMI Music

    * I-Concerts

    * Eagle Rock

    The forthcoming arrival of two new partners, Warner Music and Universal Music, will further enhance the offering.

    A portfolio of music services available in nine countries.

    This latest addition to Orange’s impressive line-up of music services is available to Orange mobile customers in nine countries (Belgium, France, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, Slovakia, Switzerland and the UK) and internet customers in three countries (France, Spain, and the UK):

    Orange customers can access music through the following services:

    * Orange Music Store: gives access to an international catalogue of 1million titles,

    * Orange Music Player: a multimedia player for downloading music or videos;

    * Orange Music Cast: personalised mobile and internet radio. Launched in May 2006, Orange Music Cast is a mobile application that gives customers (with a compatible phone), access to a package of theme-based radio stations, which users can adapt to their own musical tastes (Urban, Pop/Rock, Latin, Jazz,…) as well as access their own favourite radio stations. Orange Music Cast is available both in a subscription service (EUR9.99) or in a 24 hour service (EUR2) ;

    * Live Radio: This the firm says is the first independent wifi radio, lets users listen to thousands of radio stations from around the world and on the web, as well as podcasts and audio books, even without turning on your computer;

    * SMS Jukebox, a new service which is being premiered at the Wifi Café Orange during Midem 2007. A playlist of songs is presented in a menu with a code for each one. All customers have to do is select a song and send the corresponding code by SMS. They then receive a message specifying the waiting time before the song is played… in the restaurant or cafe. Orange is looking to reinvent the jukebox, with a new mobile dimension.

  • StarHub launches HDTV in Singapore

    StarHub launches HDTV in Singapore

    MUMBAI: Singapore, through pay TV platform StarHub, is the first country in Southeast Asia to launch High Definition Television (HDTV).

    This launch follows StarHub’s successful HDTV trial that kicked off with the 2006 Fifa World Cup on 10 June 2006 and ended at the close of the year. During this trial, 1000 StarHub Digital Cable customers enjoyed all 64 World Cup matches as well as quality programmes from Discovery and National Geographic Channel in full high-definition (HD) splendour.

    With HDTV, StarHub says that viewers can expect up to four times greater picture clarity. The 16:9 screen ratio will also provide a panoramic view that can be up to 33 per cent more than what they can enjoy on the standard 4:3 TV screen. As many HD programmes contain Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, viewers with a Dolby Digital Home Theatre system can also be treated to superior audio quality, not unlike the quality available at the cinemas.

    In addition to an enhanced audio and visual experience, customers using the HD set-top box will also enjoy all innovative features that users of StarHub’s digital set-top box currently have access to. These include the Onscreen TV Guide, Programme Alert, Auto-Tune, Video Mosaic, Info Bar, Quick Surf, Chat, access to Demand TV and complimentary FunZone games.

    StarHub president and CEO Terry Clontz says, “We are very excited about our HDTV launch, and are proud that we are the first operator in Southeast Asia to introduce the service.

    “StarHub is constantly enhancing its customers’ TV viewing experience. Our introductions of Digital Cable in 2004, Demand TV in 2005 and Smart TV in 2006 are examples of how we give customers more control over what they watch, and when they watch their favourite programmes. And who knows, maybe someday we can even give customers choice on where they can view their favourite programmes too. ”

    With StarHub’s launch of its HDTV service, a new content group named “HD Plus” will be introduced. HD Plus, with a subscription fee of $15 comprises two new HD channels – Discovery HD and National Geographic Channel (NGC) HD.

    Clontz adds, “Discovery and National Geographic Channel are longtime content partners of StarHub, and both are very well-known for their production of high-quality programmes. We know that our customers will be delighted with the quality of the content, and with the superior viewing experience that HDTV brings.”

    Discovery HD Channel showcases on the channel include science, world culture, natural history, wildlife, engineering, travel and lifestyle.

    Discovery Asia MD, executive VP Tom Keaveny says, “Discovery is once again happy to be pioneering HD. We were the first international HD channel to launch in Japan in 2005, and with this launch in Singapore, Discovery HD is now available in 15 international markets and over nine million households. Discovery is committed to providing our viewers with the highest quality content available and Discovery HD will deliver an audio and visual experience that is richer, deeper and more expansive than ever before”.

    NGC HD takes viewers into the heart of the action from science, the modern world and investigations to lost cultures and natural history, National Geographic Channel in high definition will bring viewers unique insights, groundbreaking new findings and unforgettable television experience.

    NGC International executive VP, group MD– Asia PacificWard Platt said, “Today is a heartwarming moment as we witness the launch of the brand new National Geographic Channel HD in Singapore. We congratulate Singapore and StarHub for being the most innovative country and the first operator in Southeast Asia to launch a commercial high-definition television service. Singapore viewers can now truly enjoy National Geographic Channel’s unsurpassed quality programming and compelling stories in stunning visuals and cinematic surround sound.”

    Consumers must subscribe to a minimum of three Basic Groups and HD Plus, and own StarHub’s HD set-top box and a HD-ready TV set in order to enjoy StarHub’s new HDTV service.