ITV

Category: GECs

  • Amrita TV’s Super Star crowns Sangeeth; Super Star Junior set to kick off

    Amrita TV’s Super Star crowns Sangeeth; Super Star Junior set to kick off

    MUMBAI: Amrita TV’s Super Star grand finale night declared Sangeeth.S the winner with 1,06,898 votes, while Job Kurian was runner-up with 81,146 SMSs to his credit. At the event, Amrita TV also announced the launch of Super Star Junior for aspirants in the 10 -15 age group slated for December 2006, for which auditions start in November.

    The winner bagged a Maruti Suzuki Swift car as the Super Star prize, while Kurian took home a bike. All the Super Star contestants also performed on the stage alongside the two finalists who were fighting for the crown.

    The gala night also saw performances by the three judges, youth music icons, Deepak Dev, Alphonse and Bala Bhaskar alongwith a set of renderings by pianist Stephen –who provided the music accompaniment in the Super Star show right from its inception, states an official release.

    The programme which introduced to Malayalam television the concept of discovering a music performer was telecast live from the University Senate Hall, Trivandrum. Kerala star Dileep presented by Super Star Prize, while directors and artistes who judged earlier episodes of the show were also present including Kamal, Siby Malayil, Lohitdas, Samvratha, Sreekumaran Thampy and Menaka.

  • Mobile sports content & services to reach $3.8bn by 2011

    Mobile sports content & services to reach $3.8bn by 2011

    MUMBAI : Mobile sports information and entertainment services are expected to take an increasing share of the global mobile sports, leisure and information content (infotainment) market over the next five years.

    According to Juniper Research the global market for mobile sports content and services will grow from just over $1 billion in 2006 to $3.8 billion in 2011 at an average annual growth rate of 27 per cent. This is out of a total sports, leisure and information content market worth just under $4.2 billion in 2006 and growing to $9.5 billion in 2011. Over the whole period 2006 to 2011 mobile sport, leisure and information content and services is expected to generate a cumulative revenue stream of over $42 billion. 40 per cent of this is expected to come from the European market, 33 per cent from Asia Pacific and 18 per cent from a rapidly growing North American marke.

    The key market drivers will be:
    *the increasing availability of 3G services and support for high quality video;
    *the globalisation of sport personalities and club support;
    *improved flow of digital sports rights for mobile distribution.

    Bruce Gibson, research director at Juniper Research said, “These drivers apply to many types of leisure and information content, but none more so than sports content. There is a great opportunity for content owners, application service providers and operators to exploit sport content over the mobile channel in innovative ways, now that the technology barriers are diminishing”. However he goes on to issue a warning – “This will only happen if everyone in the value chain pays attention to detail. End user experience in some markets of mobile sports content services built around the 2006 Fifa World Cup, has not been consistently good. Many new users of sports services have been disappointed with the quality of the deliverable and may never buy again. First impressions count for a lot and particularly with time sensitive content like goal alerts and replays, the first experience has to be good to generate repeat business.”

    Sports, leisure and information is a vast area and comprises many different types of content and mobile service, from celebrity wallpapers, mobile comics and video “mobisodes” to financial information services, child tracking and personal navigation services. Those applications and services that will show fastest growth over the next few years will be those that develop the most added value from advanced network technologies and those that can move from “presenting facts” to “providing entertainment”. Community applications with a high amount of graphic user generated content will be particularly successful as they have the added advantage of low cost content acquisition, the report says.

    Mobile TV might not be quite there as yet but now looks poised to take off – after many false starts – in the same way broadband internet was roughly five years ago.

  • Gemini, Udaya to be merged into Sun?

    Gemini, Udaya to be merged into Sun?

    MUMBAI : The market is expecting founder-promoter Kalanithi Maran to merge the affiliate companies, Udaya TV Pvt Ltd and Gemini TV Pvt Ltd, where he has significant equity interests, with Sun TV Ltd.

    Maran had early this year raised Rs 6.03 billion through a public float of Sun TV which included the Tamil and Malayalam channels. But he kept his popular channels in Telugu and Kannada outside the ambit of the initial public offering (IPO) as they were under separate entities and had other minority stakeholders.
    The speculation in stock trading circles is that the decision would soon be taken to merge the two profit-making companies with Sun TV, offering investors a width of strong channels across the four southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

    The rumour comes at a time when Sun TV has made an announcement in the BSE that its board would be meeting on 27 November to “consider the proposed merger of satellite television broadcasting companies.”

    The stock would see a sigificant boost if “these rumours” turn out to be true. “The valuation of the company will shoot up if Gemini and Udaya are merged with Sun. It is not only the topline which will inflate but the bottomline will also continue to be strong,” stock market analysts say.

    Indiantelevision.com’s attempt to reach senior executives in Sun TV to get an official confirmation proved futile. Maran was also not available for comment.

    The equity shares of Udaya TV, as of 7 March 2006, are held by Maran (66.67), S. Selvam (16.67 per cent) and S Selvi (16.66 per cent). In Gemini, Maran has 26.5 per cent, Kal Communication (a promoter Group company), 23.5 per cent, K Bharathi 30 per cent, Indira Anand 16 per cent and A Sai Siva Jyoti 4 per cent.

    Before going for an IPO, Maran consolidated his ownership position by buying out entire stakes of Sharad Kumar and Dayalu Ammal (wife of DMK president M Karunanidhi). Analysts say he will try to do the same thing by buying out the minor partners in Gemini and Udaya before he decides to merge these two companies with Sun TV.

    “We don’t know if he also already bought out the stakes. If he has, the path is clear for him to go ahead with the merger,” an analyst in a brokering firm says.

    What is further fuelling the speculation is that Maran has recently consolidated the Telugu and Kannada channels under the Gemini and Udaya brands respectively. Teja News has been renamed Gemini News and Aditya TV as Gemini Music. Ushe TV, similarly, is now called Udaya Movies.

    Gemini and Udaya already share a business relationship with Sun TV Ltd. For instance, the approvals for uplinking Udaya News, Ushe TV, Aditya TV and Teja News have been granted in the name of Sun TV Ltd.

    Maran also has the option of consolidating Gemini and Udaya’s financials and taking them for an IPO. “This, however, is not what the market is expecting. We believe these two companies will merge with Sun TV to create a media behemoth,” analysts say.

    The Sun TV scrip opened the trading day at Rs 1361.55, reached a high of Rs 1389 and closed at Rs 1363.85.

  • Former Prasar Bharati chief KS Sarma takes charge as Maa TV CEO

    Former Prasar Bharati chief KS Sarma takes charge as Maa TV CEO

    MUMBAI: Soon after restructuring its shareholding, Maa TV Network Ltd has roped in former Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma to head the company.

    Sarma will chalk out the company’s expansion plans. Maa TV Network, which owns and operates a Telugu general entertainment channel, had plans to launch a music channel and spruce up the programming of its existing channel.

    “I have joined Maa TV Network as the CEO. We are in the process of formalising our expansion plans. We would be ready with it (the plans) in a month’s time,” Sarma tells Indiantelevision.com.

    The company will have a fresh infusion of Rs 500 million with the original promoter Murali Krishna Raju putting in Rs 100 million. Superstars Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi have walked in as new investors along with Matrix Laboratories Ltd (a listed company) and will together be holding 60 per cent in a purchase deal worth Rs 400 million.

    Sarma, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, recently retired as Prasar Bharati CEO. During his stint, Prasar Bharati launched a direct-to-home (DTH) service, DD Direct+, comprising free-to-air channels. Doordarshan also came out with a fine tuned self-financing scheme (SFS) and handled marketing of cricket, serials and movies.

  • Readers Digest sold for $1.6 billion

    Readers Digest sold for $1.6 billion

    MUMBAI: Reader’s Digest Association which publishes of one of the most widely read magazines in the world Readers Digest has sold the magazine for $1.6 billion to Ripplewood Holdings
    As well as its flagship magazine, the company publishes a range of other titles, markets CDs and puts on book fairs. The buy-out also means that the the consortium will take on debts of about $800,000.

    Media reports add that although its magazine circulates to 18 million people in 21 languages, the business has struggled to appeal to the younger readers prized by advertisers. Readers Digest has struggled to compete with new media both for readers and advertising.

    The basic strategy Ripplewood will adopt is to improve operating efficiencies, optimise cost structure and supply chain, and drive the revenue growth.

  • US radio station owner Clear Channel sold for $26.7 billion

    US radio station owner Clear Channel sold for $26.7 billion

    MUMBAI: Clear Channel Communications which is America’s biggest radio station owner, has agreed to be acquired for about $18.7 billion by an investment group.

    Clear Channel owns or operates 1,150 radio stations. It also owns a majority of Clear Channel Outdoor, an operator of billboard and bus-stop advertisements.

    The group that has bought Clear Channel is led by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners. Under the terms of the agreement, Clear Channel shareholders will receive $37.60 in cash for each share of Clear Channel common stock they hold, representing a premium of approximately 25 per cent over Clear Channel’s average closing share price of $29.99 during the 30 trading days ended October 24, 2006, the day before the Company first acknowledged that it was evaluating strategic alternatives.

    Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank as well as Credit Suisse, RBS and Wachovia are acting as financial advisors and providing firm financing commitments to the private equity group. Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and RBS are also providing equity commitments.

    Clear Channel CEO Mark P. Mays said, “We are very pleased to announce this transaction which provides substantial value to our shareholders. We look forward to working with Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners to continue our business plan to provide exceptional programming to our audiences and value to our advertising partners.”

    Clear Channel also plans to sell 448 of its radio stations in markets outside the top 100 – Madison is in the top 100 – as well as its 42-station television group, which also are located in smaller markets. Collectively the properties made up less than 10 per cent of the company’s revenues last year.

    Thomas H. Lee Partners co-president Scott Sperling said, “Clear Channel is one of the nation’s truly great companies that has the finest collection of outdoor and radio assets in the industry. We are extremely pleased to be partnered with the management team led by Mark and Randall Mays and to have the opportunity to work with them and to grow this company that was created by its chairman and founder, L. Lowry Mays. Clear Channel has tremendous long term growth opportunities in both the radio and outdoor businesses and we look forward to partnering with Mark and Randall to create value in the years ahead.”

    Bain Capital MD John Connaughton said, “We are very impressed with Clear Channel’s strong management team and the company’s leadership positions in a variety of markets and media formats. Clear Channel is an exceptional media franchise that is well-positioned to grow thanks to the solid foundation the Mays family has created. We look forward to partnering with Clear Channel as it continues to innovate in meeting the changing needs of the audiences and advertisers it serves.”

  • Zoom to launch shows on celebrities and entertainment

    Zoom to launch shows on celebrities and entertainment

    MUMBAI: Lets Talk a celebrity chat show produced by Miditech is scheduled for launch on 19 November at 11:30 am on lifestyle channel Zoom.

    The weekly show will be hosted by RJ and actor Tarana.

    Tarana brings viewers face to face with the Bollywood stars introducing them as personalities behind the famous faces and giving insights into their lives as regular people; not as celebrities.

    Let’s Talk offers a freewheeling chat with film personalities, which gives a peak into their personal lives.

    Miditech says that Lets Talk has been shot in select outdoor locations to create a positive environment and ambience to make the guest comfortable. The show has ingredients of fun, emotions, bonding and laughter with a general feel good factor. The forthcoming episodes of Lets Talk will feature Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao and Riya Sen as the celebrity guests.

    Miditech had previously produced Main Hoon for Zoom TV. The programme aired over 100 episodes in two years.

    Meanwhile, as already reported, Zoom will also launch an entertainment news show Popkorn Newz hosted by Barkha Bisht.

    The show will see apperances by stars both from the big and small screen. There will be news, interviews, entertainment trivia as well as in-depth insights on the news stories; from Bollywood to the Indian Tellywood.

  • MTV Australia gives viewers the chance to host shows

    MTV Australia gives viewers the chance to host shows

    MUMBAI: MTV has announced a first in an attempt to get closer to viewers. In Australia and New Zealand the channel will for the first time in any territory hand over half an hour of air time to its viewers.

    Unlike other on demand type shows the My MTV initiative the broadcaster says will go further than just broadcasting what the viewer wants. It will give the viewer the opportunity to call the shots in their very own 30 minutes.
    Not only do they get to play with the MTV library but they will also get to choose everything from the theme, the content, the look and feel. They get to host a show for half an hour.

    Viewers are invited to register on line at www.mtv.com.au/mymtv and in 50 words or less describe what they would do with their 30 minutes of MTV. Viewers can register for series 1 before 26 November.

    A My MTV Marathon will be featured on 31 December 2006 with the first block to air from 10 am till 3 pm and the second block to follow from 7 pm -12 pm

    Each half hour show will then be shown again separately on My MTV Wednesdays and Saturdays from 3 January 2007 at 5.30 pm.

    MTV notes that viewers can choose what they want to do. It can range from playing back to back to clips of Pimp My Ride to compiling what iones feels are the best and bitchiest moments from Laguna Beach or My Super Sweet 16 or maybe seeing the host of Jackass Johnny Knoxville getting hit in the crown jewels non-stop for 30 minutes.

  • Star Plus kicks off ‘The Lucky Watch and Win contest’

    Star Plus kicks off ‘The Lucky Watch and Win contest’

    MUMBAI: Weeks after the launch of the new show Lucky, Star Plus is geared to kick start its on-air contest ‘The Lucky Watch and Win contest’.

    The contest question will be flashed during the show which airs every Saturday at 8 pm. Participants will be required to answer the question just SMS ‘Lucky’ to 7827 or log on to www.indya.com. One lucky winner stands to win a family trip (a trip for four) to Disneyland, Hong Kong, two weekly winners will win Xboxes and 100 goodie bags will be given out to 50 kids every week, for two weeks. The contest period is from 18 November – 2 December.

    The first question will be announced on 18 November, while the deadline for responses is 12 noon, 23 November. On 25 November, question 2 will be announced and the winner of question 1 will be placed on the scroll on air. The answers to the second question must be sent by 12 noon on 30 November. While on 2 December the winner of question 2 and one mega winner who has answered both the questions correctly will be randomly selected. The mega winner’s name will be announced on the slate and the weekly winner on the scroll.

    In addition, this on-air contest will be complimented with a school contact programme across Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Lucknow. This school contact programme will be activated in 2000 schools across the same seven cities including. Children across these schools will get a chance to play games and win Star merchandise.

  • McDonald’s celebrates World Children’s Day

    McDonald’s celebrates World Children’s Day

    MUMBAI: World Children’s Day at McDonald’s, which is the company’s largest annual fundraiser for children, turned five years old. Entertainers, musicians, executives and children came together in New York City for a worldwide celebration to support fundraising efforts conducted in over 100 countries for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC(R)) and other children’s causes.

    Dancing With The Stars season finale, winner Emmitt Smith and dance partner Cheryl Burke, along with runner-up Mario Lopez and dance partner Karina Smirnoff, joined McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner, World Children’s Day global ambassador Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, actress Sofia Vergara and other entertainers at the 42nd Street McDonald’s. After meeting with children and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of New York City, event participants stopped behind the counter to help raise funds for World Children’s Day, informs an official release.

    “McDonald’s has a rich tradition of being a good community partner and neighbour,” said Skinner. “As the needs of the world’s children have increased over time, so has the need for companies and citizens to play a more active role in affecting positive change.”

    For the fifth consecutive year, World Children’s Day at McDonald’s will take place in almost 31,000 restaurants around the world. McDonald’s customers, franchisees and suppliers have raised funds to help support more than 260 Ronald McDonald Houses, 105 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, 31 Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programs and other children’s causes around the world.

    A new global World Children’s Day TV campaign includes the voiceover of actor Paul Newman and features children and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The commercial aired in the US from 10 to 19 November and in select countries around the world throughout the month, adds the release.

    Additionally, the Duchess of York taped a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about World Children’s Day at McDonald’s. The PSA, which will air throughout November, reminds viewers they can help improve the lives of children around the world by participating in World Children’s Day and supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities.

    The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Its programs, the Ronald McDonald House(R), Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, are grassroots-driven to enable the Charity to offer help where children in their own communities. RMHC and its global network of local Chapters have awarded more than $440 million in grants and program services to children’s programs around the world.