ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • B.A.G’s News24 is now available on Tata Sky

    B.A.G’s News24 is now available on Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: B.A.G Films and Media’s newly launched Hindi news channel is now available on direct-to-home (DTH) platform Tata Sky.

    Currently a free to air channel, News24 is expected to go pay by next month.

    B.A.G Films and Media MD Anurradha Prasad, “Television viewers will have one more platform to watch News24 wherein Tata Sky would definitely work as a catalyst in better brand positioning of the Channel. Going forward, we are confident of bringing back the discerning Hindi viewers to watch News24 as our message to all the viewers is that News is Back.”

  • CNN-IBN, Hindustan Times to present ‘Mumbai Makeover’

    CNN-IBN, Hindustan Times to present ‘Mumbai Makeover’

    MUMBAI: CNN-IBN, in association with Hindustan Times, is launching a special series – Mumbai Makeover on 8 March at 8:30 pm. The special series will take a look at the five biggest civic projects presently underway in Mumbai and how they are expected to change the face of the city over the next few years.

    Mumbai Makeover is an extension of the The Mumbai Project, initiated recently by the Hindustan Times. It explores the hurdles, progress and anticipated benefits of five large-scale municipal assignments presently underway across Mumbai.

    CNN-IBN and IBN 7 editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “A rapidly growing population and limitations of space are problems faced by metropolises across the country, especially Mumbai. Mumbai Makeover looks into some of the major development projects planned by the city to ease the encumbrance faced by Mumbaikars on a daily basis. It is a series that will be of interest and relevance to all who consider Mumbai home.”

    Hindustan Times, Mumbai editor Samar Halarnkar said, “We, at HT, believe we live in a time of hope and great change. So it’s time to hope, certainly, that we can transform our city. It’s also time to understand the change that is upon us.”

  • BBC Worldwide, Beijing TV, MDA co-produce show ‘A History of Beijing’

    BBC Worldwide, Beijing TV, MDA co-produce show ‘A History of Beijing’

    MUMBAI: With international eyes turned towards Beijing as the city gears up to host China’s first Olympic Games, BBC Worldwide will take audiences on an in-depth tour of the Chinese capital and its people with a new series A History of Beijing.

    This regional co-production, with Beijing TV and the Media Development Authority of Singapore, marks the first such collaboration for BBC Worldwide’s Global Channels business since its launch in 2006.

    A History of Beijing showcases the rich history of the city taking audiences on a fascinating journey behind its growth – from its nomadic beginnings, to its iconic dynasties and today’s modern, thriving metropolis. Many of the ancient city’s greatest historical moments are recreated through stunning reconstructions.

    A special three-part version of the series will premiere first and exclusively on BBC Knowledge across Asia in August 2008. It will also be broadcast on BBC Knowledge in Poland and in some European territories on BBC Prime.

    The TV trade also got a first glimpse of the highly anticipated series at the BBC Showcase in Brighton, UK from 24 to 27 February.

    BBC Global Channels Asia-Pacific SVP and GM Christine Leo-McKerrow says, “Producing with Asian partners content that has relevance for regional and global audiences has been our intent since introducing the BBC-branded channels to this part of the world.

    “With the BBC being one of the world’s largest and most renowned producers of documentary programming, it is a natural progression for us to extend this expertise through local productions, and with local partners, such as Beijing TV.”

    “This series comes at a highly opportune time when there is a massive interest in China, and in particular, Beijing. Through this series, audiences can find a deeper understanding of Beijing and its people before the world descends on the ancient city in August,” adds Leo-McKerrow.

    BBC Knowledge celebrated its global launch in Singapore last July. Since then the channel has also launched in Hong Kong and Poland.

  • BBC’s TV distribution event kicks off in Brighton

    BBC’s TV distribution event kicks off in Brighton

    MUMBAI: TV stars from some of BBC Worldwide’s top-selling series are out in force in Brighton to support this year’s BBC Showcase, the world’s largest trade event hosted by a single television distributor.

    The BBC Worldwide event sees a week of international premieres as over 550 buyers from TV networks in 100 countries jet into the UK to buy the best of British programmes.

    Joining them are the stars from series like Mistresses, Ashes to Ashes, Oliver Twist and Cranford who will attend special gala events held to help launch key BBC Worldwide titles.

    Already on the guest list are actors Sarah Parish, Shelley Conn, Sharon Small, Orla Brady, Patrick Baladi, Raza Jaffrey, Max Brown and Adam Rayner from contemporary BBC drama series Mistresses – they will be helping to kick off the four-day TV industry event at a special opening dinner held in the programme’s honour.

    Primeval’s James Murray will also attend, following the series’ huge international sales success.

    In addition, Imelda Staunton and Timothy Spall will also be there, representing the BBC’s success in period drama for Cranford and Oliver Twist, respectively.

    BBC Worldwide is the UK’s largest television exporter, generating £216 million from programme sales last year. Over 1,000 hours of new British programming are available to view at BBC Showcase 2008. The average buyer sits at their viewing booth for 10 hours a day, for four days, to preview as much British programming as possible. Over 100 producers and scriptwriters descend on Brighton to help BBC Worldwide pitch to TV networks from across the globe

    Over 550 buyers will attend the annual event, where they will view around 1,000 hours of the latest, leading television output from Britain.

    Daily screening sessions are held across all genres, as sales teams and leading producers pitch directly to network buyers from around the world. Buyers will be presented with co-production propositions, formats and finished programming.

    Set in a world where friends have become the new family, Mistresses follows the lives and loves of a group of 30-something girlfriends who met at university. But their lives have taken very different turns.

    Cranford stars Oscar-winner Judi Dench and follows the small absurdities and major tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford, as they are besieged by forces that they cannot withstand.

  • Apology for ‘India TV’s dispute with CCL’ report

    Apology for ‘India TV’s dispute with CCL’ report

    Indiantelevision.com carried a report on 15 February, 2008, under the headline ‘India TV settles CCL dues, to move to new premises by November-end.’

    The report correctly states that India TV has settled its dues to CCL, while the headline wrongly implies that it would be vacating the premises by November 2008, when in fact the news channel will be moving out by November 2009. 

    Additionally, the following inadvertent errors also crept into the report, which have been brought to our notice by India TV:

    * That the issue of dispute between CCL and India TV was one of “overdue rent when in fact the channel has regularly and unfailingly paid what was due and had repeatedly brought to CCL’s notice vide emails and all other means the equipment and services that had not been put into place despite lease rentals being paid vide cheques.”

    * That, in specific terms, the article claims that ‘more than Rs 6 crore were not paid by the channel (India TV) in terms of rent for the premises and as the hi-tech digital newsroom that CCL (Century Communications Ltd) has also rented to the channel’, when the facts, as enshrined in the MoU clearly bear out the channel’s position, including a substantial amount exceeding Rs 2 crore being deleted from CCL’s original claims, confirming thereby, that key equipment and services had indeed not been made available to India TV; and the fact that India TV had to independently acquire the above mentioned digital newsroom at a huge cost.

    * That by repeating a wild allegation made by CCL officials in a press conference claiming that the lives of the CCL owners had been threatened by India TV and that they had written to the Union Home Minister for protection, indiantelevision.com has lent credence to a preposterous claim which CCL chose not to substantiate with even a shred of evidence.

    Indiantelevision.com regrets the inadvertent errors and apologises to Independent News Service Pvt Ltd, owners of Hindi news channel India TV, and states for the record that it has no intention of dishonouring or bringing to disrepute either India TV or its founder Rajat Sharma. 
     

     

  • IBN Lokmat set for launch by March-end

    IBN Lokmat set for launch by March-end

    NEW DELHI: IBN Lokmat, the upcoming Marathi news channel from the GBN-Lokmat joint venture company, is all set to launch by March-end.

    “We will be officially launching it between 16 March but before 1 April,” editor-in-chief Nikhil Wagle told indiantelevision.com.

    Wagle said that the existing 13 bureaux are fully functional and two more are being added. Four OB vans from the four key cities – Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad – will be used for the most “vibrant live coverage and programming.”

    “We are completely ready after the training by the American technological and editorial experts have done their work over the past few months, and this will give us the competitive edge,” Wagle held.

    He added that the channel has 13 leased lines from across the state, so that direct and live news content can be shown throughout the day.

    However, Wagle refused to disclose any programming or coverage pattern, saying: “Already there are many copycats who are getting half-baked information of the kind of programming we are going to do, and are copying them. I do not want to disclose the content beforehand.”

    Asked about the usual repeated show of violence that the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has been seriously upset with, Wagle said that if there is violence in society, it will be shown, but in a responsible manner, so that further violence is not fomented.

    Reminded that most channels had shown old footage of violence against north Indians during the Raj Thackeray arrest on 12 February, but without mentioning that those were old file photos, Wagle asserted that this will not be done in IBN Lokmat.

    “I do care for TRPs but I shall not stoop so low for TRPs that it gets away from serious but popular journalism, because that is what I have done in my 20 years of print and the past decade of television journalism. I believe that TRPs will come if one does serious and popular but highly credible journalism,” Wagle clarified.

  • BBC celebrates Easter with ‘Passion’

    BBC celebrates Easter with ‘Passion’

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC will celebrate Easter with a series, The Passion.

    The setting is Passover week, Jerusalem, 33AD. As thousands of pilgrims pour into the city, tensions between the Jewish religious authorities and the occupying Romans are already running high.

    When news arrives that a preacher from Galilee is about to enter the city’s East Gate on a donkey’s colt, thereby fulfilling ancient prophecies about the coming of a Messiah to free the Jews from oppression, the mood becomes even more incendiary.

    The tumultuous events of the next seven days will resonate through the next 2,000 years of human history. Written by Frank Deasy, directed by Michael Offer and produced by Nigel Stafford-Clark, The Passion is a retelling of the story of Jesus’s final days on earth and will air in the UK on BBC One.

    Inspired by both the Gospels and other contemporary historical sources, the three-hour drama, for the first time, tells the story from the perspective of all the main figures involved – Jesus and his disciples, the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate and the High Priest, Caiaphas.

    Stafford-Clark explains, “It puts it all into context, digs deeper into the characters and their actions. Why did Pilate agree to have Jesus crucified? Why did Caiaphas want him condemned to death? Why was there such excitement when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?”

    The pubcaster adds that The Passion allows the audience to feel as if they were members of the crowds moving through the chaotic streets of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

    Michael Offer, who shot The Passion in Morocco, says, “I wanted to project the experience of what it would have been like to have been living in that place at that moment in time.”

    The series stars Joseph Mawle as Jesus, James Nesbitt as Pilate and Ben Daniels as Caiaphas.

    Deasy says, “It is, I hope, a version that everyone, whatever their level of faith or scepticism, finds rewarding. By the end, I hope people feel they have been on a very deep journey with these characters, that they feel they have shared the most powerful week of their lives.”

    A special website bbc.co.uk/thepassion launches on 28 February to provide a lively and exciting multiplatform companion to the drama. Users can explore a wealth of extra material, ask questions and contribute their own opinions and programme reviews.

    Features include episode guides, video interviews with cast and crew, picture gallery and specially commissioned articles giving the background to the drama and the Passion itself.

  • INX News ropes in Karan Thapar’s ITV as editorial advisor

    INX News ropes in Karan Thapar’s ITV as editorial advisor

    MUMBAI: INX News has appointed Karan Thapar’s company Infotainment Television Pvt Ltd (ITV) as editorial advisor to NewsX, the soon-to-be-launched English news channel.

    The advisory services will comprise a review of progress to date and consultancy on future editorial development of the channel.

    INX News head of newsroom Arup Ghosh said, “I am very pleased that Karan’s ITV has come on board as editorial advisor to NewsX. With its experience and reputation, I am sure ITV will contribute immensely to our vision of a world-class news channel for NewsX.”

    Commenting on ITV’s appointment as editorial advisor to NewsX, Thapar added, “ITV is delighted to accept a project from NewsX to advise it on how to become one of the most exciting news channels available in India.”

    INX News chairperson Indrani Mukerjea said, “With the expertise of the editorial and operations team at NewsX, we are ready to provide the highest quality of intelligent news for today’s audience.”

    Established in 2001, ITV has worked for the BBC, Channel News Asia, CNBC TV18, CNN-IBN and Doordarshan, among other channels.

  • News Corp appoints Mark Williams as CFO Europe and Asia

    News Corp appoints Mark Williams as CFO Europe and Asia

    MUMBAI: Mark Williams is joining Newscorp as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Europe and Asia. He will be reporting directly to the company’s head of Asian and European operations James Murdoch.

    Coming in from Sky Italia, where he is the chief operating officer (COO), Williams will be based in London but will remain as a non-executive director on the board of Sky Italia.

    Williams replaces Stephen Daintith at News Corp. Daintith is moving to Dow Jones as CFO.

    Williams will take over Daintith’s duties as CFO of News International as well as acting as CFO across News Corp’s operations in Europe and Asia supporting Star TV, Sky Italia and News Corp Europe.

    Murdoch said, “I am delighted that Mark Williams will be joining us in London. He has been a key player in the team which has taken Sky Italia from strength to strength, and I look forward to working with him in this new wider role.”

    Williams said, “I’m extremely excited to be taking on this new position working for James across the breadth of News Corp activities throughout Europe and Asia, ranging from operations in Eastern Europe to the already very successful UK newspaper business. At the same time, I am very proud of the team at Sky Italia and look forward to remaining involved as a member of the board.”

    Mark Williams joined News Corp in 1996 as CFO of the Australian pay-TV operation Foxtel. In 2000, he assumed the responsibility of CFO for News Corp’s newspaper and other interests throughout Australia and New Zealand. In January 2003, he was appointed COO of Sky Italia, based in Milan.

  • NDTV to expand documentary slot from mid-March

    NDTV to expand documentary slot from mid-March

    NEW DELHI: NDTV 24X7, which had commenced a weekly half-hour slot for short films after it entered into a partnership with the Prasar Bharati-supported Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) last month, has now decided to increase the telecast of documentaries from mid-March.

    At present, NDTV telecasts the short and reality films each week on its flagship channel NDTV 24×7 as part of the series Documentary 24×7, every Thursday at 9:30 pm and repeated on Sundays at 1:30 pm.

    NDTV Producer Gunjan Jain – who recently attended the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short and animation films to scout for good films – told indiantelevision.com that the half-hour and one hour slots may be alternated depending on the length of the films received by the channel for telecast.

    She also clarified that though the initial agreement had been with PSBT, the channel was also prepared to telecast documentaries by other producers. She had seen some good films in Mumbai and submitted her report to the channel.

    According to a PSBT spokesperson, the partnership provides an ideal platform for the exploration of myriad issues that these documentaries deal with, and for enhancing the viewership of powerful and insightful content. The effort will go a long way in creating and encouraging a public culture of documentary appreciation and engagement.

    Renowned filmmaker and PSBT Chairperson Adoor Gopalakrishnan said, “We welcome exposure for the excellent films produced by PSBT on a private commercial channel. With the terrible decline in the standards of commercial television, this is a very praiseworthy effort by NDTV. Our films are produced by independent filmmakers, most of them young, partially funded by Doordarshan. The future for public broadcasting lies in efforts such as these that demonstrate the potential of public-private partnerships.”

    PSBT is a non-profit trust that represents the confluence of energies to foster a shared public culture of broadcasting that is exciting and cutting edge. PSBT’s pioneering work revolves around the creation of independent films that are socially responsive and representative of democratic values. It seeks to situate a new vocabulary and activism at the very heart of broadcasting in India and this endeavour will open up new spaces for engagement with the form and content of documentary films in the mainstream public media.