ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • Star Majha celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with ‘Bappa Majha’

    MUMBAI: Star Majha has launched a special series ‘Bappa Majha’ on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. The 15-day series will have regular highlights, updates and pandal coverage across the state.

    The channel will feature ‘Aarti’ of two prominent pandal or temples on a daily basis. Besides, it will have special feature recipes of festive delicacies and sweets along with celebrity participation and expert tips. As a part of the special series, the channel will give updates on shopping and special offers in the market. The ‘Visarjan’ will be covered by the channel.

    To boost the excitement, Star Majha has also launched a contest ‘Stat Bappa Sarvottam Ganpati Spardha’ to select the best pandals in the state.

    The special programme and the contest are also available in the internet edition of the 24-hour Marathi channel.

  • Unity Group to launch Hindi news channel

    MUMBAI: Unity Group, a part of Softline Media and Rasthtriya Outdoor Advertising, is all set to launch two channels this fiscal.

    The company will launch a Hindi news channel, Unity News, and a Hindi agricultural channel called Hariyali, says a source close to the development.

    “We have obtained license from the government for both the channels. The dry run for Hariyali will start in mid-September, while Unity News will commence in January,” confirms the source.

    Hariyali will be headed by Rakesh Sharma, who was earlier with Jain TV. The channel will extensively cover agriculture in India with a mixture of education and information as its programming mix. The content on the channel will lay a special emphasis on issues like agriculture, health, community building, kisan chaupal (farmers discussion), self-employment schemes and women.

    Rashtriya Outdoor Advertising earlier owned the religious channel Sadhna, which was later acquired by Triveni Group. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the Triveni Group will re-launch the religious channel.

  • TV18 Group is now Network18; unveils logo

    MUMBAI: TV18 Group is rechristened as Network18. The new branding will unify all current and future entities of the TV18 Group under a single umbrella.

    Existing companies such as TV18, GBN, Web18, Homeshop18, Viacom18, Studio18 and Events18 will reflect the new corporate identity.

    The Group will also don a new logo which is red and white in colour. “The logo reflects the company’s brand identity which is a window to an ever-changing world in addition to connoting the stature and ambitions of the emerging global media corporation,” the company said in a statement.

    Commenting on the new branding, Network18 managing director Raghav Bahl said, “We have come a long way since TV18 began in 1992 as a small production house. From television news to filmed entertainment, Network18 leaves little untouched and unconquered, thus taking it a step closer to becoming the undisputed media mega brand! Despite our rapid growth and diversification, the one thing that has not changed, is our vision to be ‘better than the best’ and to continuously set new standards in this fast growing industry.” 

    Added Network18 Group CEO Haresh Chawla, “Network18 has built some of the most enviable media brands and audience franchises in India and we continue to work aggressively towards building India’s finest truly multi-platform media conglomerate. The new Network18 identity unites our over 3000 strong team and operations with a common set of values and aligns them behind a common purpose. The unified identity will help us harness the power of our individual brands and build an even stronger relationship with all our stakeholders. It is an exhilarating moment for all of us.” 

    Network18 Group COO B Sai Kumar said, “Network18 embodies all the attributes of a start-up and combines it with the power to enable, enlighten and entertain every Indian. Over the past decade, the Group has been able to empower more than 80 million Indians. The re-energised entity will aim to reach out to a much larger audience in India and globally. In the process, we also hope to make Network18 the first truly Indian, global media company.”

  • WASP3D inks deal with Romanian broadcaster

    MUMBAI: Real-time 3D graphics solutions provider WASP3D has entered into deal with Romania based company Antena 1 and news channel Antena3, all part of Intact Group of Romania. The deal is expected to give WASP3D a strong momentum in European market ahead of forthcoming IBC 2007.

    Intact group TV news division general producer Octavian Basoc said, “We conducted several rounds of rigorous evaluation of available 3D Graphics solutions before we chose WASP3D. The solution provides uncluttered workflow for complete automation that would help us substantially reduce our cycle time for content creation to on-air playout.”

    Beehive Systems senior VP Ajay Pal Singh said, “Television broadcasters and post-production houses are becoming more inclined towards the benefits that the workflow based 3D Graphics solution provide and we have seen a positive trend in our sales in European market. The deal reflects faith and interest in our product on a global paying field, building on our already strong presence in Asia and Europe. We are extremely pleased to see broadcasters around the world turning to WASP3D for their 3D graphics requirements.”

    WASP3D is a graphics solution for real-time 3D graphics creation, content management, and its on-air playout more suited for television stations, graphics automation developers and post-production houses having multiple points of graphics delivery requirements such as on-air graphics, NLE stations, automated graphics and downstream tickers.

  • NDTV, Astro launch Astro Awani in Malaysia

    MUMBAI: NDTV and Astro have launched a 24-hour news and information channel, Astro Awani, in Malaysia on 6 September. This follows the launch last year in Indonesia of a 24-hour news, infotainment and lifestyle channel.

    With the tagline ‘Our Gateway to The World,’ Astro Awani is the first 24-hour news and information channel in Malaysia.

    Presented in the national language, Astro Awani will have a mixed content of current international news, events and issues which are relevant to the local viewers.

    Astro Awani is one of the four channels that NDTV is going to launch in September. The package includes NDTV lifestyle channel Good Times, Astro Awani, a channel for the Middle East and Metronation.

    NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao said, “NDTV’s association with Astro has had a great start last year, with the success of Astro Awani in Indonesia. Now, we are delighted to come together again and provide viewers in Malaysia with a comprehensive look at news and topical issues. The channel is a tribute to NDTV’s long standing commitment to delivering in-depth news and information-based programming.”

    Astro TV CEO Rohana Rozhan said, “We observed that our customers want higher quality content in a form that is international news presented from a local perspective. To fulfil this demand, we are proud to introduce Astro Awani. It will feature global news, events and issues from a Malaysian perspective, and will be presented in the national language.”

  • IBN 7 to launch talk show ‘Zindagi Live’

    MUMBAI: IBN 7 will launch a weekly talk show Zindagi Live from 9 September. The show will try to provide a platform for people who have survived adversities in life. Hosted by Richa Anirudh, a panel of experts will join the show for discussions with the guest.


    Every Sunday each episode will focus on issues like divorce, alcoholism, obesity and AIDS among others. The personal accounts will be accompanied by interesting facts, trivia and statistics to further enhance viewer knowledge on the subject.


    IBN 7 managing editor Ashutosh said, “Zindagi Live is a show on the personal struggles of ordinary people, who have battled adversities and have now chosen to share their experiences with our viewers. While for some, these accounts might show a different and more realistic side to life, for others they may provide strength, comfort and inspiration, that despite the hardships life must go on.”


    Added CNN-IBN and IBN 7 national sales head Sanjay Dua, “At IBN 7 it is our constant endeavour to provide interesting new programming and Zindagi Live is one such example. The property promises to be unlike any other talk show on Hindi news television and is bound to attract great response from both the viewers and the advertising fraternity, alike.”

  • IBN 7 to launch talk show ‘Zindagi Live

    MUMBAI: IBN 7 will launch a weekly talk show Zindagi Live from 9 September. The show will try to provide a platform for people who have survived adversities in life. Hosted by Richa Anirudh, a panel of experts will join the show for discussions with the guest.

    Every Sunday each episode will focus on issues like divorce, alcoholism, obesity and AIDS among others. The personal accounts will be accompanied by interesting facts, trivia and statistics to further enhance viewer knowledge on the subject.

    IBN 7 managing editor Ashutosh said, “Zindagi Live is a show on the personal struggles of ordinary people, who have battled adversities and have now chosen to share their experiences with our viewers. While for some, these accounts might show a different and more realistic side to life, for others they may provide strength, comfort and inspiration, that despite the hardships life must go on.”

    Added CNN-IBN and IBN 7 national sales head Sanjay Dua, “At IBN 7 it is our constant endeavour to provide interesting new programming and Zindagi Live is one such example. The property promises to be unlike any other talk show on Hindi news television and is bound to attract great response from both the viewers and the advertising fraternity, alike.”

  • Jill Grinda is EuroNews director of worldwide distribution

    MUMBAI: Jill Grinda has joined European international news channel EuroNews as director of worldwide distribution. Grinda will manage and expand EuroNews’s international distribution on all platforms including terrestrial, satellite, cable, ADSL, broadband, mobile and all other new media formats.

    Grinda was for the past two years Al Jazeera English regional director Europe and Asia contributing to the launch of the channel. Prior to that, she was CNBC Europe regional distribution director for some five years. Earlier in her career she launched and managed distribution for the financial channel, Bloomberg Television in Asia and was then transferred to Bloomberg TV in France in 1998.

    EuroNews chairman and CEO Philippe Cayla said, “I am pleased to welcome Jill Grinda who brings to EuroNews over twenty years of international experience with major multinational media and financial corporations in the areas of distribution, marketing production and journalism. I am convinced Jill will strengthen EuroNews distribution in Europe and to push on the success of the channel especially in Asia and America.”

    Grinda said, “I am delighted to join the EuroNews team. The results of the latest EMS Survey, show that EuroNews is Europe’s leading international news channel. This is a major step forward in terms of recognition of the channel and a great basis for further development of the brand outside of Europe.”

  • BBC announces BBC Sports Unsung Hero award

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC will celebrate individuals from the world of grassroots sport with the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award 2007. Across the UK everyone is invited to nominate people who have made a difference to their community through sport.

    Now in its fifth year, the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award, supported by Robinsons, recognizes and rewards outstanding contribution by individuals at the grassroots level of local sport.

    A local winner will be chosen in each BBC English region and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    They will be joining the sporting stars of today at Birmingham’s NEC in December, where the overall UK winner will be announced.

    One can nominate people who, on a voluntary basis, prepare facilities, roll the pitch, coach the juniors, run local sports leagues or work behind the scenes so that sport can be played and enjoyed throughout the UK.

    A shortlist of regional nominees in each area will be chosen by the local BBC panel of judges.

    Those shortlisted nominees will be invited to attend a regional BBC Sports Awards event, attended by a host of the region’s sports stars, when an overall regional winner will be announced. Bursaries of up to £2,500 are available to winners of each regional award, to help them with their work in sport.

    These 15 regional winners will be joining the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony at the NEC in Birmingham, where a UK winner will be chosen.

  • STV to launch three regional news channels

    STV to launch three regional news channels

    NEW DELHI: STV Enterprises Ltd will launch three regional news channels, group chairperson J K Jain told Indiantelevision.com. The company, which already runs Punjab Today, will formally announce the launch on 30 August.
    The channels – Goa News, Haryana News and UP News – are on test signals. While in Goa and Haryana, the channels have achieved almost total connectivity, in UP there are distribution issues which are yet to be sorted out.
    The three channels will function independently for their day to day work and operations will be headed by executive director Gokul Kumar in Goa and Dharampal Dhankar will look after Haryana while Pradeep Sharma will look after Punjab Today. The CEO chief editor Sanjay Dwivedi will be in charge of all the three channels.
    “Regional channels are the most happening thing today and I believe that advertisers will flock to them because of higher penetration into all areas of the state. Hence we are avoiding going national at the moment,” Jain said.
    When asked how a small state like Goa would manage to run a 24×7 news channel, he said, “Local content is exploding and there are so many things that are specifically Goan, like football, local culture. Hence programming is not an issue that is of worry.”
    Meanwhile, STV has already applied to run on DD Direct Plus, Prasar Bharati’s DTH service platform. “When that happens we shall be seen everywhere in the country and outside,” Jain said, adding that he is in discussion with the private DTH players Dish TV and Tata Sky.
    Punjab Today, the news channel that had faced political repression, is recovering gradually, Jain said, adding that it has been forced out of the local cable operators only in some places of the state. “They did so initially, but gradually many LCOs have returned because it is a hugely popular channel in the state,” he said.