ITV

Category: Music and Youth

  • MTV Networks chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn quits; Nick Lehman to be interim digital head

    MTV Networks chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn quits; Nick Lehman to be interim digital head

    MUMBAI: Viacom division’s MTV Networks chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn has resigned from his post.

    MTVN digital executive vice president Nick Lehman will replace Hirschhorn as an interim replacement.

    Hirschhorn was appointed as chief digital officer last year in November. He had joined MTVN in 2000 with the acquisition of his music-centered Mischief New Media. He will stay on through the summer to ease the transition.

    Hirschhorn was instrumental in developing the digital music service Urge, which is a tie-up between MTV and Microsoft Corp. He also spearheaded MTV’s digital media business and interactive strategy aimed at reaching audiences via the Internet and mobile devices.

  • Third season of ‘Naach Meri Jaan’ on ETC

    Third season of ‘Naach Meri Jaan’ on ETC

    Mumbai, May 15, 2006: The third season of Naach Meri Jaan on ETC is once again a cool sparkling success.

    Second Event of this six event season with artistes like Meet Brothers, Yasmin Khan and Shibani Kashyap, is telecasting on ETC on Saturday 20 May 2006 from 8:30 pm onwards.

    The show opens with a sizzling performance by YASMEEN KHAN on song ‘Hona hai Hona hai’. Once the mood was set MEET BROTHERS took over. They sang the popular numbers like Jogi singh Barnal Singh, Pyar Hamya, Dekta hoon koyi ladki, Bluffmaster and Masti ki Pathshala. Once again Yasmeen entertained with a medley on kuan ma duub jaanogi. SHIBANI KASHYAP showcase the songs like Zinda, Sajna, Dum maro dum, Medley of latest Bollywood hits, Duma dum mast kalander, Woh Lamhe, Medley of vintage classic songs remixed and Ho gayi hai mohabbat tumse.

    They were performing to entertain the huge crowd at Water Kingdom. Show was anchored by ETC anchor Aanchal and in between the performances mimicry artiste Nitin entertained the crowd as Mithun Da, Amitabh Bachchan and Dev Anand.

    Other musicians and artiste to perform on different events are Bombay Vikings, Deepa Chari, Band of Boys, Sonu Kakkar, Crazy Cat, Kailash Kher, Kainaz and many others.

    Commenting on this association Ashish Chakravorty busines head of ETC- says, “It has always been the endeavor of ETC to provide its viewers with innovative and original musical programming. Naach Meri Jaan are musical events that showcase this spirit. These events are also in synergy with Water Kingdom because both represent fun and frolic. Once again ETC is opening the thrird season of this popular annual event from 13th May to provide its viewers with non stop entertainment for next six weekends.”

    So if you have missed the fun at Water Kingdom, then from May 13th catch the one & a half hour long sensuous singing and dancing show Naach Meri Jaan on ETC every Saturday from 8.30 PM. And make sure that you keep your appointment with Naach Meri Jaan on Saturday evenings because there is no repeat to catch up later.

    Naach Meri Jaan on ETC is four year old property that telecasts exclusively on ETC through the Summer Season. Since the summer of 2003, ETC has been associated and telecasting series of Musical Events held at Water Kingdom. Never before any channel has done and telecast eight events in a row.

    ETC is a music based entertainment channel with music dominating more than 98% of the programming content. In all India markets, ETC enjoys the largest reach amongst all the music channels.

    For more information contact:
    Neelam Gupta
    Corporate Communication
    ETC Networks Ltd
    Tel: 022 – 2674 2503 (D), 2673 2033-7
    Email: corpcomm@entertainmenttv.com web: www.entertainmenttv.com

  • Radio City 91 FM to air Raveena and Asha Bhosale innermost experiences of motherhood

    Radio City 91 FM to air Raveena and Asha Bhosale innermost experiences of motherhood

    Salute the spirit of motherhood with Radio City 91 FM ~ Catch the ravishing Raveena and the Queen of Indian Music, Asha Bhosale as they share their innermost experiences of motherhood only on Radio City 91 FM~

    Mumbai, May 12, 2006: She is an epitome of unconditional love. She is a friend, a confidant, a guide and most important of all she is your pillar of strength.

    Mother’s Day is a time of commemoration and celebration in honour of all mothers. To make the day more memorable, Radio City 91 FM, Mumbai’s favorite radio station, will celebrate the spirit of motherhood by giving listeners a chance to pay tribute to their mothers and express their love for them. On the occasion, kids will get a chance to call-in and leave messages like “My mother is the best because….” on-air for their mothers. The best messages will win exciting prizes from Radio City.

    Listeners can catch up with none other than the Queen of Indian Music, Asha Bhosale and young mother Raveena Tandon, as they share their views on the significance of mother’s day, give insights on parenthood and narrate their experiences of being a ‘mother’.

    Listeners can cook a special meal for their mothers with celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor as he shares his delicious and mouth-watering recipes on-air.
    Mother’s will also get an opportunity to interact with a well-known pediatrician and get tips on baby nurturing, adding to the special feeling of motherhood, a feeling which makes a woman feel complete!

    This and much more!! So tune into Radio City 91 FM on 14 May 2006 for some special moments that you can cherish throughout your life!

  • Hip hop superstar ‘Jay-Z’ on CNN’S Talk Asia

    Hip hop superstar ‘Jay-Z’ on CNN’S Talk Asia

    MUMBAI:Superstar rapper and music mogul Jay-Z tells the story of his remarkable rise from street hustler to one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs in this weekend’s TALK ASIA.

    The multi-millionaire and five-time Grammy winner is known for his hard-hitting and streetwise rhymes and remains unapologetic about the ‘vulgar lyrics’ which saw him banned from China earlier this year. “The Rolling Stones had to take like five songs out. So, I’m in good company! I don’t feel so bad, I feel like a rock n roll star! It’s an honor to be next to the Rolling Stones.”

    With a business empire that encompasses his own musical comeback, his leadership of the influential Def Jam records and his recent association with the New Jersey Nets basketball team, he tells Anjali Rao how the worlds of sport, music and business are intricately linked. “My passion is music, and music influences cultures, influences lifestyle…It’s really all one field…it all comes from the music. All ball players want to be rappers and rappers want to be ball players. That’s just how it is!”

    Jay-Z also recalls the harsh realities of everyday life growing up in New York’s notorious Marcy Houses, his time spent as a street hustler where he was a self-proclaimed ‘ghetto celebrity’ and his recent and much publicized fallout with the makers of Cristal champagne, formerly the star’s drink of choice.

    As for his relationship with fellow music superstar Beyonce, he explains his reluctance to talk about it, saying “You put so much out there, so much of yourself into your music, you need some type of refuge…you’ve got to have some part of yourself you just don’t talk about.”

  • Adlabs Films to list demerged radio business, swap ratio at 2:1

    Adlabs Films to list demerged radio business, swap ratio at 2:1

    MUMBAI: Adlabs Films Ltd (AFL) board has approved the proposal for demerger of its FM radio business to a wholly owned subsidiary.

    According to the scheme, the shareholders of Adlabs will get two shares of the new company for every new share held. The new entity will be listed on the stock exchange, the company said in a release.

    The scheme also envisages amalgamation / merger of two AFL subsidiaries, Entertainment One India LTD and Mukta Adlabs Digital Exhibition Pvt LTD, with itself. “The aforesaid scheme will be subject to all requisite permissions, sanctions and approvals including, inter alia, of share holders, lenders, stock exchanges, High Courts, regulatory authorities,” the company said in a release.

    Adlabs had made its debut in film production in the year 2002 through its 100 per cent subsidiary Entertainment One India Ltd. A year later, the company entered into a 50:50 join venture with Mukta Arts for digital delivery of movies.

    Adlabs board has also recommended a dividend of 45 per cent (Rs 2.25 per share) for the year ended 31 March 2006, subject to approval at the ensuing annual general meeting.

  • VH1 & Sundance to air documentary series on drug use

    VH1 & Sundance to air documentary series on drug use

    MUMBAI: VH1 partners with Sundance Channel for a four-part documentary about illicit drug use in America and its impact on popular culture.

    The Drug Years is based on the book Can’t Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, by Martin Torgoff. It premieres on 12 June on VH1, with repeat telecast on Sundance beginning from 16 June. It spans from the 1950s to the present and uses archival footage and interviewed to show how music, movies, television and theater were affected by the rise in drug use.

    The first episode, Break on Through focuses on the period from the 1950s to 1967, when artistic and social subcultures embraced marijuana and LSD use. The second episode, Feed Your Head, covers 1967 to 1971, when film and television content began to address drug use in America. The third installment, Teenage Wasteland, explores the years from 1972 to 1979, marked by the popularity of High Times magazine, drug humor by comedians like George Carlin and the emergence of Cocaine as the celebrity drug of choice. The last episode, Just Say No, takes viewers from 1980 to now.

    Produced by Hart Perry and Dana Heinz Perry, who has delivered titles such as Imagining America: Icons of 20th Century Art and the Peabody Award-winning John Hammond: From Bessie Smith to Bruce Springsteen.

  • Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    MUMBAI: Americans rate the importance and relevance of local commercial radio very highly, despite the entry of high-technology competition, a national survey commissioned by American Media Services showed.

    The survey found that 78 per cent said radio is important in their everyday lives, and 91 per cent said radio is important in American life in general. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) said they listen to radio at least once a day.

    The telephone survey of 1,004 American adults was conducted from 13 – 15 April, 2006 by Omnitel, the weekly omnibus survey by the national polling firm of GfK NOP of Princeton. The survey is considered accurate within plus or minus three percentage points.

    The new findings complement those in AMS’ initial survey in January: 64 per cent said they were listening to radio as much as, or more than, they were five years ago.

    “The evidence from our polls and others is conclusive that people are continuing to listen to their local, free radio stations. Arbitron and Edison Media Research just conducted a national survey of 1,925 respondents that revealed 77 per cent of Americans expect to continue to listen to their radio in the future as much as they are today,” said American Media Services president and CEO Ed Seeger.

    In the AMS survey, 57 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women said they listen to radio at least daily. The availability of music, news and reports on weather and traffic continues to be the most often cited reasons for listening to the radio, with 98 per cent of respondents saying they listen to radio for one of those features. “Radio doesn’t need to reinvent itself. It just needs to get its story out in the marketplace. It continues to thrive with the same basic programming we have embraced for the past half-century,” said Seeger.

    Other findings of the survey include:

    78 per cent usually tune to a local radio station when they get in their car.
    More people had a favorite local radio personality in their local markets (37 per cent) than a favorite television personality per cent (32 per cent), newspaper personality (seven per cent) or personality on a local internet site (one per cent).
    When asked what about the different qualities that make a good radio personality, they ranked four as most important: 89 per cent said they liked to listen to someone who makes them think, 82 per cent said one who makes them laugh, 79 per cent wanted a personality they could trust, and 76 per cent said a good radio personality has strong ties to the local community.
    Overall, 41 per cent of respondents said they liked to listen to stations that have a good balance of music, news, weather and traffic information. That rated above playing their kind of music (26 per cent) or making them laugh (3 per cent).
    Of those respondents who had a “favorite media personality,” 37 per cent said their favorite personality worked on the radio, while 32 per cent said their favorite worked on television.
    61 per cent of those likely to change stations during commercial breaks do so in a minute or less.

  • Radio Mirchi 95 FM launches in Hyderabad

    Radio Mirchi 95 FM launches in Hyderabad

    MUMBAI: Entertainment Network (India) Limited has launched its Radio Mirchi 95 FM radio station in Hyderabad. The station went on-air at 6 am today, with the voice of Southern superstar Chiranjeevi being the first voice on the station.

    Radio Mirchi 95 FM Hyderabad is the 10th station of ENIL to start operations. Radio Mirchi 105 FM Jaipur and Radio Mirchi 93.3 FM Bangalore went on air on 17 April, making them the first private FM radio stations to go on-air under the Phase II of radio privatization.

    In the Phase II bidding process, over 250 frequencies across 90 cities were successfully auctioned in a process that lasted 5 weeks in January and February 2006. ENIL was successful in winning 25 licenses in addition to the 7 stations it already operates.

    Speaking on the occasion, ENIL MD & CEO A P Parigi said that with these back to back launches, ENIL had managed to demonstrate its project management capabilities. He added that in all three stations detailed market research was carried out to provide inputs to programming – so that the station reflected the tastes and aspirations of each city.

    Under the Phase II rules, radio stations are permitted to commence broadcasting by way of interim transmission facilities in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur.

  • B4U acquires overseas movie telecast rights from Sahara for Rs 15 million

    B4U acquires overseas movie telecast rights from Sahara for Rs 15 million

    MUMBAI: B4U Group has acquired overseas TV telecast rights to around 35 movies from Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd. for Rs 15 million.

    The movies include Page 3, Sarkar and Hanuman. B4U will also have telecast rights to some of Boney Kapoor’s films. Last year, Sahara had acquired satellite and pay TV broadcast rights worldwide and in perpetuity to the entire library of Kapoor’s films.

    B4U Movies can show these films in all other markets except India. The channel has a presence in more than 100 countries including the US, UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mauritius and Canada.

    “We have taken rights to around 35 films from Sahara for our international channels. These include strong lineups like Sarkar, Hanuman and Page 3, but include some library products as well. The rights are non exclusive,” said a source in B4U.

    B4U’s Indian operations, however, continue to be starved of funds. The company has stopped movie acquisitions in India for almost two years. Though B4U gave carriage fee to cable TV operators for beefing up distribution of its two channels (B4U Movies and B4U Music) across the country, very little investment has been made on content.

  • Radio City launches ‘Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam’

    Radio City launches ‘Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam’

    MUMBAI: Starting Friday, 7 April, singer- anchor-actor, Sonu Niigaam makes his radio debut as the host of a new show on Radio City 91 FM, Mumbai – Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam.

    As Sonu Niigaam puts it, “I have always believed that versatility is my greatest strength. I like to explore different mediums & different kinds of performances and entertainment. This is my first on radio and I am grateful to Radio City to give me my own show on the radio station. The entire flavour of the show is fun and interactivity in a musical way, bringing the best of our music industry for music lovers in Mumbai. This will not only bring me closer to my fans but will also give me an opportunity to be a part of their daily lives.”

    Airing every Friday at 8 pm, Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam promises to be a double scoop of entertainment for the listeners. The first hour of this new show will feature Sonu at his best as a Radio Jockey. During this hour, listeners can learn from Sonu about a wide array of subjects, states an official release.

    Listeners can also interact with Sonu one-on-one and request for their favourites in the “Sonu ji suno na” section and be part of his memories as he gets nostalgic in “Sonu ki suhani yaad”. “Aaj ab abhi” showcases his mood at the moment, while “Kaash” speaks of his unfulfilled desires. For instance, Sonu Niigaam talks about how he missed out on the opportunity to work with the great R D Burman on the super hit song “Ek ladki ko dekha toh…” from 1942 – A Love Story. All this and more that will make you wonder why he didn’t opt to be a professional RJ much earlier in his career, the release adds.

    In the second hour, Sonu will step up gear by inviting a contemporary musical maestro or a veteran musician of yesteryears as a special guest on the hot seat, every week. The highlight of this segment, will be a stimulating tête-à-tête between the flamboyant singer and his high-profile guest, the likes of Anu Malik, Sunidhi Chouhan, Kunal Ganjawala, and Sandeep Chowta to name a few. The listeners will be witness to a stimulating conversation full of unadulterated fun, whacky and hilarious repartee between the guest & host as they spill the beans about their professional and personal triumphs.

    Says Radio City CEO Apurva Purohit, “At Radio City we have always believed that great music, innovation and creativity in our shows is what sets us apart. We always create content with a discerning focus on Music. Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam is yet another unique initiative in the station’s basket that reiterates our brand promise and urges our listeners to indulge in good music.”

    Apart from on-air presence, the show will go beyond radio sets and indulge its listeners with exciting on-ground initiatives like meet and greet events with Sonu Niigaam, contests, distributing celebrity merchandise, initiating a Sonu Niigaam fan club, SMS downloads and much more, the release informs.

    The first episode of Life ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam features Sonu Niigaam in conversation with Anu Malik. The deadly combination of Sonu & Anu has given us a number of hits like Border, Refugee and Main Hoon Na. Anu Malik reminisces his first recording with the legendary Mohammad Rafi. He takes a dig at Sonu Niigaam for imitating Radio City’s RJ Anirudh, and also takes up Sonu Niigaam’s challenge of singing a song completely without yoddling. The engaging conversation between the two stars will leave listeners gasping for more.