ITV

Category: GECs

  • Zee fixes share swap ratio for Dish TV

    Zee fixes share swap ratio for Dish TV

    MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms Ltd. (ZTL) today said its shareholders will get 23 shares of ASC Enterprises Ltd (ASCE) for every 10 shares held.

    The ZTL board has also approved a demerger scheme for spinning off its direct consumer business into ASCE, a company promoted by Subhash Chandra’s Essel Group for direct-to-home (DTH) business. Siticable (without its cable business) and its wholly owned subsidiary New Era Entertainment Network Ltd. (NEENL) will merge with ASCE, integrating all DishTV operations under this company.

    In the first stage, Siticable will, thus, hive off its cable TV business into Wire and Wireless India Ltd (WWIL). The residual Siticable and NEENL, which handles marketing and distribution of the DTH business, will then merge with ASCE.

    The paid-up equity capital of ASCE will increase to Rs 1.66 billion after merger, up from the current base of around Rs 411 million. The company plans to bring back the capital base to the pre-merger level by cancelling three of every four shares held in ASCE. “As a result of the merger, ASCE’s capital base will get bloated. We want to compress the base,” said Essel Group CEO, corporate strategy and finance. Rajiv Garg.

    The share exchange ratio is based on the recommendation of independent valuers M/s Deloitte Haskin & Sells.
    ZTL shareholders will receive shares on a proportionate basis in ASCE as consideration. As per the independent valuation, ZTL shareholders will get 230 shares of ASCE of Re 1 each for every 100 shares in ZTL. This would result in a 57 per cent shareholding in ASCE for the shareholders of ZTL,” the company said in a release. The appointed date for the Scheme of Arrangement will be with retrospective effect from 1 April.

    The scheme of arrangement will require approval of the Stock Exchange, shareholders and creditors of Zee and from Bombay High Court. ASCEL will be listed on all stock exchanges where ZTL is listed, the release added

    Commenting on the board’s decision to hive off Zee’s direct consumer business, ZTL chairman Subhash Chandra said, “All Dish TV operations would now be under a single corporate entity, bringing strategic clarity to this high growth business. This shall complete the restructuring agenda we had set for ourselves to create four focused, pure play, listed companies ready to exploit the vast emerging opportunities in each line of business. Subject to necessary approvals, this would result in streamlined operations in each area to build long-term shareholder value. It would also clear the ground for acquisitions and strategic or financial partners in the de-merged businesses, apart from unlocking shareholder value.”

    Zee has sent an application to the Stock Exchange on the restructuring plans for the news, content and cable business. “An application will soon be made to the High Court,” the release said.

  • History Channel to hype entertainment quotient

    History Channel to hype entertainment quotient

    NEW DELHI: Come live the entertainment story with Martin Sheen, Omar Sharif, Daniel Craig and Peter O’Toole. This is The History Channel’s (THC) new mantra for India.
    The only international television network devoted exclusively to historical programming, today announced its plans for pursuing a new strategic direction in India by making a well-defined shift to entertainment.

    The channel also outlined its extensive plans to take forward this move to aggressively drive viewership and advertising revenues. Starting 6 May, viewers in India will get to experience an enhanced and extended offering of the same.

    “This year we are looking at making the channel stronger and more relevant to our viewers and advertisers by enhancing our offering,” The History Channel managing director India Nikhil Mirchandani said at a press conference today.

    The new strategic direction of the channel stems from its need to continuously stay relevant to its viewers. The History Channel with its new tagline ‘Live The Story’ is going to be all about bringing alive a viewing experience that will be unique, inspirational and above all entertaining.

    According to the company, the shift to entertainment ensures that THC remains true to its unique theme of History while becoming more entertaining and engaging through riveting programmes that will be showcased in hitherto unseen formats.

    Commenting on the new programming that will be visible on the channel from May, company’s senior vice-president programming Joy Bhattacharjya said, “We have a spectacular line-up of programmes from May onwards. We are moving onward and adding to our well-researched and entertaining documentaries and serials a whole new line up of the most interesting stories.”

    The new fare from history will include mini-series, re-enactments and also films. Martin Sheen, Omar Sharif and Daniel Craig will enact some of the most popular and interesting characters and stories through history.

    “It is what I call the Devdas effect – where we will inform in an entertaining format and allow viewers to live the stories that are historically relevant,” Bhattacharjya added.

    The film Devdas made a couple of years back by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in true Bollywood style of lavish sets, grandeur and oodles of melodrama re-told to Gen-X successfully a wasted love story set amidst the 1920s-1940s of West Bengal, torn by class conflict, through the lead protagonists, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.

    The programming on The History Channel will deal with events and personalities that are historically significant in an entertaining manner. From Rome to Hitler to Helen of Troy to Spartacus, the channel will explore the wide gamut of history without being restricted by formats.

    The new strategy will also be evident in the vibrant on-air graphic elements, which will reinforce the power and passion of history presented in an entertaining format. To promote the new look and feel, the channel will also roll out an on-air brand campaign that will communicate the spirit of channel.

    Facts and fiction will mesh together. For example, film Marilyn and Me will be accompanied by the biography of the sex goddess. Every month will have a distinctive theme.

    The month of May will be identified through the theme of war and will showcase never-seen before films and series such as Hitler and Haven. June will be dedicated to the theme of Rome and the key films, mini-series and factual series will revolve around this theme.

    Some of the best series from the AETN international library, Crusades, Gold and Barbarians will be presented to Indian audiences by The History Channel in the special format of a Limited Edition Series.

    Speaking on the new strategic positioning of the channel, Rajesh Sheshadri, vice-president marketing said, “We are looking at an exponential increase in viewership by 2008. This increase in viewership is a function of first, our distinct positioning whereby we are the only channel on History.”

    He added, “Second, the fact that we will debut familiar titles in entertaining formats; and third, versioning wherein the channel is also investing in providing its Hindi-speaking viewers with high quality versioned programming that will enhance their viewing experience and allow them to enjoy internationally acclaimed programmes.”

    The channel is also planning innovative and integrated marketing initiatives to ensure the channel’s success in India.

    Reaching more than 200 million viewers in 70 countries, versioned in 20 languages, The History Channel is the only international television network devoted exclusively to historical programming. A division of A&E Television Networks, it is marketed internationally by AETN International.

    In India, the channel began broadcasting in November 2003 and claims to be available to 45 million C&S households. The History Channel comes to India through an affiliation between AETN international and NGC Network (India) Pvt. Ltd.

  • Zee Telefilms to be named Zee Entertainment Enterprises; ASC Enterprises becomes Dish TV

    Zee Telefilms to be named Zee Entertainment Enterprises; ASC Enterprises becomes Dish TV

    MUMBAI: One part of the process set in motion late last month by the Subhash Chandra promoted Zee Telefilms board to split its broadcasting business into three entities — news operations, broadcast & content creation, and Siti Cable — has been completed with the nomenclature of the new entities finalised.

    Zee Telefilms will henceforth be named as Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel). Included under its ambit are flagship Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Cafe, Zee Studio, Zee Trendz, Zee Sports and Zee Smile.

    On the other hand, ASC Enterprises Ltd, under which comes the group’s direct-to-home (DTH) businesses, will now be renamed as Dish TV Ltd. ASC Enterprise’s DTH service is marketed under the brand name Dish TV.

    Last month, the company’s board had approved of splitting of its broadcasting business into three entities — news operations, broadcast and content creation, and Siti Cable.

    There is no change of name for the news operations company which remains Zee News Ltd. Under Zee News comes not just the news channels but the regional channels as well.

    The reason for including the regional channels into Zee News Ltd is because of the heavy news component that forms an intrinsic part of all these channels. It was in order to comply with the news uplinking guidelines that effective October 2005, newsgathering activities of ZTL were transferred to Zee News Limited.

    The news channels include Zee News, Zee Biz and the recently launched Bangla news channel Chobbees Ghanta. The regional channels are Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Punjabi, Zee Gujarati, with the newest addition being Zee Telugu. Expected to launch next month is the sixth regional channel in the stable Zee Kannada.

    As regards the restructuring on the cable side, it has already been announced that the cable business of Siti Cable, a 100 per cent subsidiary of ZTL (now Zeel), and the cable related business of ZTL would be de-merged into Wire and Wireless (India) Limited (WWIL), a new company incorporated for the purpose.

  • VH1 Classic to air BBC music shows

    VH1 Classic to air BBC music shows

    MUMBAI: VH1 Classic will expand from a 12-hour to a full 24-hour schedule, with BBC’s offerings from 1 May.

    The BBC deal includes the legendary anthology series The Old Grey Whistle Test, one of the most influential music shows in Britain in the 1970s.

    VH1 Classic will begin premiering select episodes from the series this September, and roll out performances from popular 1970s and 1980s artists such as Tom Petty, The Police and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It will premiere under VH1 Classic’s original series umbrella Classic in Concert.

    VH1’s SVP and GM Eric Sherman said,”VH1 Classic’s audience and its appetite for classic music continues to grow, leading us to effectively double our music program offerings each day. We’re particularly pleased to deliver rare BBC gems such as The Old Grey Whistle Test which presents performances never seen before on this side of the Atlantic.”

    The new weekly movie franchise Rock and Roll Picture Show with Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story will be launched on 6 May. Other movies include The Wall, The Song Remains The Same, Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix, Madonna: Truth Or Dare and Imagine: John Lennon.

    The Class Of … stunt becomes a regular monthly offering in June, kicking off with Class of 1984. Other new initiatives include a 27-episode series Classic Albums, with each hour telling the story behind the making of one of rock music’s most seminal albums.

    Also, the network has licensed Classic Artists, a series of documentaries tracking the twists and turns in a single artist or band’s career. The first episode set to premiere in the fall 2006 will feature Cream.

  • Discovery Channel to premier series ‘More Than A Game’ on World Cup

    Discovery Channel to premier series ‘More Than A Game’ on World Cup

    MUMBAI:Starting 28 April, Discovery Channel is set to premiere six-part series More Than a Game, which will chronicle the emergence of international football’s greatest teams and players interwoven with the story of how the World Cup evolved as a tournament and shaped the nature of football worldwide.

    This series will air every Friday at 9 pm and each episode will be repeated on the following Saturday at 10 am.

    More Than A Game will feature the six giants of the game – Brazil, Germany, France, England, Argentina and Italy.

    The football World Cup has evolved into a cultural event that unites the entire world for one exhilarating and unforgettable month. More than just a sporting extravaganza, it has impacted the economy of countries and their presence on the global map, informs an official release.

    Made in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and featuring exclusive footage from FIFA’s film archive and recollections from some of the world’s greatest players including Beckham, Beckenbauer, Zidane, Platini and Zoff, the show will present the definitive account of the World Cup – its glorious goals, legendary players, fanatical fans and enduring appeal.

    The release also adds that with previously unseen footage from matches dating back over 40 years, viewers will get a fresh perspective on even the most familiar football legends. They will also witness how winning or losing a game can change the fortunes of a nation.

    Discovery Channel’s spokesperson said, “More Than A Game showcases how the World Cup has been a carnival of innovation, advancing both the game and the business of football. It presents the fascinating account of the extraordinary brilliance and the gallant failures of the superpowers of world football. Identifying and capturing the defining moments of the football World Cup is what makes More Than A Game so captivating.”

    The Ambassador of Brazil, His Excellency Jose Vicente Pimentel said “I am delighted to be part of this special programme by Discovery Channel which will provide the football enthusiasts in India an insight into the history of the World Cup. Each of the six nations covered in the programme represent football in its truest form. Each episode will give viewers an insight into the various manifestations of the sport and how single-handedly football can bind an entire nation.”

    MORE THAN A GAME programme schedule:
    • Brazil on 28 April at 9 pm
    The World Cup has defined Brazil as a nation. The five-time winners have given the world legends like Pele, Carlos Alberto, Tostao, Socrates and Ronaldo. In this episode, you can also watch 17-year-old Pele leading the Brazilian charge to their first World Cup win in 1958 and then taking it to the event to its greatest height: the superlative final of 1970.

    • Argentina on 5 May at 9 pm
    Argentina’s Diego Maradona became the biggest football star since Pele. Never has one man so dominated the World Cup. But after the bravura and brilliance of 1986, it has all been downhill for Maradona. His well-publicised descent into drug addiction and psychological deterioration mark a sad end to an incredible career. Also see the memorable celebrations in Buenos Aires in 1978 after Argentina won against a background of intimidation and corruption with a military junta governing the country.

    • England on 12 May at 9 pm
    The British boycotted the World Cup till 1950 and have won it only once – in 1966. They were the first nation to win as hosts. With a passionate (and infamous) fan base and the superstar status of their players, it has always shared a love-hate relationship with the sport they invented. Their story of the World Cup ranges from disaster to gallant failure.

    • Germany on 19 May at 9 pm
    It’s hard to imagine a time when Germany was not a footballing superpower. But in the 1954 final, they were definitely the underdogs against the talented Hungarians. An extraordinary comeback set the foundations for future dominance, and till now they remain one of the most difficult sides to overcome. Watch how the World Cup has helped Germany to emerge as one of the leading nations in world football.

    • Italy on 26 May at 9 pm
    Paolo Rossi’s hat-trick helped Italy beat Brazil 3-2 in one of the greatest World Cup games. Their World Cup victory in 1982 ended a fifty-two year wait for their demanding supporters. The famous Azzuri are characterised by their stubborn, defensive approach that has, according to their critics, overshadowed the beauty of their game. They have, however, won the World cup three times and those who underestimate them, do so at their own peril.

    • France on 2 June at 9 pm
    The 1998 World Champions had included 15 squad players from different ethnic backgrounds embodied by Zidane, Desailly and Lizarazu. As the most racially troubled country in Europe, France was divided by the question of immigration. The multiracial make up of the French national team was openly criticised till their stunning 3-0 victory over favourites Brazil, which led to four days of euphoric celebrations across the nation. The win also summed the international nature of a sport which is More Than A Game.

  • Channel 4 signs Vod deal for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    Channel 4 signs Vod deal for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    MUMBAI: UK broadcaster Channel 4 has announced an agreement with Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, to acquire the exclusive UK video-on-demand rights to Lost and Desperate Housewives.

    In India, the shows airs on Star Movies and Star World respectively.

    This deal is Disney’s first in Europe for VOD rights to its network series and is in line with Disney’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution.

    The pay per view Vod service will launch tomorrow 27 April when the entire series of Lost season one will be available on-demand at www.channel4.com/lost and to digital TV customers via ntl Telewest’s on-demand service. Episodes of the hit series can be purchased for 99p and watched an unlimited number of times within a 24 hour period.

    Access to the service will be limited to the UK. ntl Telewest has also secured the rights for content to be shown in high-definition.

    Channel 4 CEO Andy Duncan said, “Channel 4 is the most distinctive brand in UK television and we want to protect and enhance this reputation by making our award-winning content available across multiple platforms. By partnering exclusively on the VOD rights to two of the biggest shows on TV, we will work together to reach and grow on-demand audiences. This deal with BVITV reinforces Channel 4’s plans to make content available ‘anytime, anywhere’ and is a fantastic way of demonstrating our ambitions in this area.”

    BVITV VP, MD Europe, Middle East and Africa Tom Toumazis said, “This ground-breaking agreement represents our first step in launching our network series on Vod to the European market. We’re committed to working with partners with strong new media strategies, such as Channel 4, to harness new technology in bringing our hit programming to viewers in fresh and innovative ways. We also remain committed to providing legitimate ways in which to download content, and believe that offering these two series in this way is a significant step.”

    Touchstone Television president Mark Pedowitz says, “The creative appeal of Lost and Desperate Housewives transcends borders and we are thrilled the content will be available on-demand to UK consumers”.

    Channel 4 new business director Rod Henwood said, “This is a significant step in Channel 4’s plans to launch a full video-on-demand service across multiple platforms later this year. Partnering with Disney on these two stand-out shows illustrates the critical strategic importance of VOD to Channel 4.”

    Also, Lost season two will be available via www.channel4.com and to subscribers of ntl Telewest 14 days after their first UK broadcast and to promote the service for a two week period the first two episodes will be offered to viewers free of charge. Episodes will be streamed on Channel4.com and can be viewed on a PC using Windows Media Player.

    On demand episodes of Desperate Housewives season two will be available from 4 May with episodes of the first season available later that month.

  • Discovery US creates a travel division

    Discovery US creates a travel division

    MUMBAI: Discovery in the US has created a new integrated travel media business called Discovery Travel Media. This new department will include the Travel Channel, online assets including www.travelchannel.com, the recently announced broadband offering, Travel Channel Beyond as well as Video-on-Demand (VOD) and mobile platforms.
    Discovery Travel Media is the company’s first business unit that combines all of the company’s assets related to a single category into a vertically integrated organisational structure.

    Discovery US president and CEO Judith McHale says, “Discovery Travel Media will better target audiences who are spending more and more time online. This segment is growing rapidly, and is currently underserved. Research shows Discovery and its related assets outpace other media brands for trusted travel information, and Discovery Travel Media is well positioned to provide travelers with the information and services they want and need.

    “Unlike other media companies that have created separate digital divisions, Discovery Travel Media will allow for more integration, flexibility and innovation from combining our existing businesses with new multiplatform opportunities in the travel space.”
    Pat Younge, who is currently Travel Channel executive VP and GM will become full business manager for Discovery Travel Media.

    Younge says, “The Travel Channel is now in more than 84 million US cable homes, so to be able to systematically leverage our unequalled travel video archive across a range of high growth media platforms affords us the opportunity to further build brand awareness and develop new revenue drivers.

    “In the coming months we will be aggressively exploring partnerships with a range of major travel-service aggregators, as well as acquisitions of aligned businesses, as we build out the assets of Discovery Travel Media.”

    The Travel Channel claims to target people who want to experience their world, immerse themselves in new cultures and escape from the day-to-day grind of everyday life.

  • ARY Digital to Exclusively Broadcast Australia v Bangladesh ODI Series in UK & Europe

    ARY Digital to Exclusively Broadcast Australia v Bangladesh ODI Series in UK & Europe

    ARY DIGITAL will broadcast exclusively in UK and Europe territory the 3 cricket ODI’s between Australia and Bangladesh beginning tomorrow April 23, 2006 at Chittagong.

    The remaining 2 ODI’s will be played on:

    April 26, 2006 2nd ODI Dhaka

    April 28, 2006 3rd ODI Dhaka

    “We felt the importance of bringing this upcoming team’s endeavors against the reigning champs to the cricket loving population in UK and Europe”, said Mr. Salman Iqbal, President and & CEO of ARY DIGITAL Network. “As a commitment to our viewers, we continuously strive to bring them the best of international cricket,”

    ARY DIGITAL Network is by far one of the largest international broadcasters of first class cricket and the single largest broadcaster of cricket in the UK and Europe.

    Over the years ARY DIGITAL has brought to viewers in Pakistan, the Middle East, North America, Europe and UK several high profile cricket series including the coveted Indo – Pak rivalry – All Pakistan’s home matches, the Asia Cup 2004, Videocon Cup, Afro Aisa Cup, World Cup, ICC tournaments and also the recently concluded England’s tour of India.

    Currently ARY DIGITAL owns the cricket broadcasting rights of the PCB, BCCI for the Europe and UK territory, All ICC tournaments including the World Cup and the Champions Trophy for Europe territory.

  • Hinduja TMT to de-merge media, IT/BPO biz

    Hinduja TMT to de-merge media, IT/BPO biz

    MUMBAI: Hinduja TMT Ltd. will de-merge the company’s IT/BPO and media businesses into separate entities. The board of directors of the company are meeting tomorrow to provide in principle approval for this.

    The media business is likely to be brought under a holding company, a source said. HTMT has been weighing several options while deciding on separating its IT from media business. One option is to have the cable TV and broadband business under one entity while keeping the content business separate. Another possiblity could be to have a common entity for the media businesses.

    “I have nothing to comment at this stage. The board is meeting tomorrow,” HTMT MD K Thiagarajan said.

    Last month, speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Thiagarajan had admitted that de-merger was very much in the plans. “It couldn’t be done in 2005-06 fiscal because of certain taxation issues. The programme is still alive and we hope to de-merge early this fiscal. A committee of directors are looking into the issue.”

    HTMT has subsidiary companies which are into cable TV distribution, a cable movie channel, and movie financing and production. IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL) runs cable TV through the Incablenet brand while CVIL operates CVO, a Hindi cable movie channel. IN Network Entertainment Ltd. (INEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of HTMT, is in film and content finance, production and distribution.

    Recently, Zee Telefilms had announced its plans to de-merge Siticable, a wholly owned subsidiary, into a separate company called Wire and Wireless (India) Limited (WWIL). This would bring specific focus into the cable business and be attractive to investors.

  • 47 per cent UK viewers oppose licence fee hike; report

    47 per cent UK viewers oppose licence fee hike; report

    MUMBAI: A BBC-commissioned report into public attitudes to the licence fee showed 47 per cent of the 2,000 adults questioned said they opposed the principle of the licence fee being increased to help those who could not afford to upgrade to digital TV.

    The UK government is due to cease analogue transmission by 2012, when all homes should be able to receive digital output. The proposed terms of the new BBC charter being issued later this year hand the corporation new responsibilities for assisting in this process.

    The findings are part of an independent report commissioned by BBC governors. The research indicate that most viewers – if forced – would pay more than they do now for their annual licence. However, they would only be happy to do so if the extra revenue was spent on relevant services, and the standard of the BBC’s output did not deterioriate.

    The reserach has been undertaken as part of a consultation process over the future of the funding for the corporation, and asked Professor Patrick Barwise of London Business School to gauge licence fee payers’ opinions.

    According to BBC News, the fee – £131.50 for each household – generated nearly £3 billion of revenue for the corporation in 2004-2005.

    The reaction to a rise in the licence fee of £150 by the middle of the next decade – for which the BBC has asked the government – was that the number of people willing to pay for existing services would fall from between 75 and 80 per cent today to nearer 65 to 70 per cent. However, if it proceeded with the proposal, “it won’t be the straw that breaks the licence fee’s back”, Professor Barwise noted.

    The survey also suggests the public is broadly in favour of most of the new interactive services being planned by the BBC. These include a media player offering a chance to catch-up with an entire week of programming, which 80 per cent of respondents agreed was interesting and 76 per cent said they would be likely to use.