ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • Discovery, British High Commission launch ‘Future Living 2020’ partnership

    Discovery, British High Commission launch ‘Future Living 2020’ partnership

    MUMBAI: Discovery and the British High Commission have annouced the launch of their partnership Future Living: 2020.

    The UK-sponsored Future Living is a six part TV series. This will showcase the challenges and opportunities of the future in areas of lifestyle, computing, health, sustainability and creativity.

    The series will be aired on Discovery in the first quarter of this year. The airing of the series on Discovery Channel will be accompanied by visits to India by UK scientists.

    British Trade and Industry Minister, Rt. Hon. Alistair Darling said, “I am pleased to launch the television initiative Future Living. The series will reach out to a wide audience, share ideas for innovation, and generate new prospects for research partnerships. I want the UK to be a key partner for India in science and innovation, to improve the lives of ordinary citizens. The UK is a major player in science, with many Nobel Prize winners. Our science budget has doubled from ?1.3 billion to ?3.5 billion in less than a decade.”

    Discovery India executive VP. MD Deepak Shourie said, “Future Living 2020, as the title clearly suggests, alludes to what the near future has in store for mankind.

    What this series shows us is that as scientists and researchers probe newer ways of improving and bolstering technology and its delivery mechanisms in various fields of endeavour, we can all look forward to a healthier, safer and more creative world. Discovery Channel is proud to partner with the British High Commission in bringing this exciting vision of mankind’s immediate future to its viewers across India.”

    Stressing on the India growth trajectory, Darling adds, “India is one of the great opportunities for business. With the economy growing at eight per cent, it is one we cannot afford to miss. That is why I am leading the largest ever business delegation to India – over 150 of our top business people, representing over 80 of our best-known companies.”

  • Title sponsorship for Star’s ‘Antakshari’ goes to Colgate Maxfresh; Juhi Parmer to co-host

    Title sponsorship for Star’s ‘Antakshari’ goes to Colgate Maxfresh; Juhi Parmer to co-host

    MUMBAI: Star is poised to ramp up its offerings on sister channel Star One and has signed on Colgate Maxfresh as the title sponsor for it’s edition of the musical talent hunt show, Antakshari – The Great Challenge.

    The brain child behind Antakshari, producer Gajendrra Siingh has once again roped in Annu Kapur as host. In addition to this, the show has also selected Juhi Parmer to partner Kapur as co-host.

    A show that soon became a ‘fashion’ and ‘phenomenon’ on rival network Zee, Antakshari for the first time on Star promises to be “snazzier with new inclusions to the format and a reality aspect.” Geared to hit television in the second week of February, the first season will run for a 13 week period.

    Commenting on the association of Colgate Maxfresh with Antakshari, Star India advertising, sales and distribution Paritosh Joshi said, “Antakshari-The Great Challenge is a unique musical programme and is all set to add excitement to primetime viewing on Star One. With vibrant hosts and a lively and interactive format the viewers will be treated to a rich viewing experience each time. We are thrilled to be associated with a young brand like Colgate Maxfresh that will reach out to our audiences with innovative programming that is unique to Star One.” 

    On having initiated the partnership, Media Edge vice president Divya Radhakrishnan said, “Colgate Maxfresh is a brand targeting the youth. We have been constantly using platforms that engage this ever evasive TG beyond standard communication tools. In Antakshari, we saw an opportunity which was a good combination of a game show weaved in with a high entertainment quotient. This we believe will have a good appeal in our core TG.” 

    Four zonal auditions were conducted on the 12 and 14 January with guest judges including Ismail Durbaar at Indore, Abhijeet Bhattacharya in Kolkata and Annu Kapur in Delhi and Mumbai. 

    Following Gajendrra Siingh’s exit from Zee, the channel launched Antakshari last month with Titan as their main sponsor and Sunil Pal from the Laughter Challenge and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2005 champion Himani Kapoor as hosts. But with the original creator and host for the show propagating a fresh avatar for Antakshari on a new network – Star One, a fierce battle is yet to begin!

  • Licence fee payers to help set the BBC’s agenda

    Licence fee payers to help set the BBC’s agenda

    MUMBAI: For the first time, licence fee payers will have a say in how UK pubcaster the BBC delivers its mission to inform, educate and entertain.

    The new Charter and Agreement outline six ‘Public Purposes’ for the BBC and task the new BBC Trust with ensuring the BBC delivers the best possible programming to promote them.

    The Trust has taken its first step to fulfilling this responsibility, publishing for public consultation six draft Purpose Remits which spell out proposed priorities and how the BBCs delivery of each purpose will be judged. The consultation and the first of the Trusts major audience research surveys will seek to find out what priorities are most important to licence fee payers and how the BBC is currently performing in those areas.

    BBC Trust acting chairman Chitra Bharucha said, “The new Charter makes clear that the BBC exists only to serve the public interest and the BBC’s main object is the promotion of its six Public Purposes. For each of these Public Purposes we are today publishing draft remits and asking licence fee payers whether they agree with the priorities proposed for the BBC. We also want to know how well licence fee payers think the BBC is currently performing in these priority areas.”

    The public consultation has begun formally and any individual or organisation can respond via the BBC Trust’s website. The Audience Councils – the Trust’s advisers in the UK’s four nations will provide responses from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and around England; and the Trust will seek to raise awareness amongst interest groups and the public directly.

    Bharucha said however that the Trust needed to do more in order to ensure the evidence on which the Trust based its judgements was properly representative of licence fee payers:

    “The Trust hopes as many people as possible will respond to the consultation. We owe it to all licence fee payers to ensure that the evidence we collect is truly representative. We are therefore also commissioning our first major survey of 4,500 adults to help identify the publics priorities for the BBC and where they think the BBC could do better. The Trust will take account of all views expressed before finalising the Purpose Remits. We will then request BBC management to respond with their plans for delivery.”

    The consultation will close on 10 April 2007. The Trust will publish responses to the consultation and the results of the survey alongside the final Purpose Remits later this year. This follows on media reports last month which had stated that UK’s culture secretary Tessa Jowell and chancellor Gordon Brown had agreed to a below-inflation rise for the TV licence fee. The agreement has not yet been approved by British PM Tony Blair.

    Under the plan, the fee would rise by three per cent next year and the year after, and two per cent for the following three years. The Retail Price Index is currently 3.9 per cent. The decision would mean the licence fee rising to £135.45 next year from its current level of £131.50. By 2012, the cost of a TV licence is set to be between £148.05 and £151. BBC DG Mark Thompson had told staff it would be a real disappointment if this move goes ahead. The BBC wanted an annual rise of 1.8 per cent above inflation.

  • CNN rides high on appeal among Indian elite

    CNN rides high on appeal among Indian elite

    NEW DELHI: With a “healthy growth” of 22 per cent in advertising revenue over 2005 in India, Turner International’s CNN news channel is leading the way in the international news channel category in the country, argues Monica Tata, vice president, advertising sales and networks, India & South Asia, for Turner International India.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com in an exclusive interaction, she claimed also that CNN International has a larger audience than all other international news and business channels put together, and that, in fact, “CNN leads a rival channel (BBC) by 82 per cent in terms of retaining weekly viewers” at the Pan Asia level.

    In addition to the existing categories of advertisers from India, Indian companies like those from sectors like consulting, corporate, white goods, IT, industrial goods, power and automobiles are on CNN International to reach international audiences, Tata added.

    “Some examples are, HCL, the Bihar government, Accenture, Aditya Birla Group, Daikin, Suzlon, etc. And two good examples of the 360 degree approach we take for our clients include CNN International’s “Eye On India” series, which has been held over the past two years in association with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; and the development of six advertorials, produced by CNN, for the Ministry of Tourism to promote India across the world,” Tata held.

    Citing a report from Synovate Business Consulting, the leading market research and intelligence agency in Asia Pacific, Tata said: “Almost half (47 per cent) of weekly CNN viewers watch no other news or business channel, while the year-on-year audience growth is greater than any other news or business channel.”

    Tata, though, sought to stress that the focus of its viewership is distinct. “CNN International focuses on the International Indian, or the global citizen as we call them, encompassing frequent travellers, high level business decision makers, and not the mass news market.”

    “Online, CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 69 per cent more PAX respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website, she said, adding that her channel is 219 per cent ahead of the third closest channel in the international news category in terms or retaining weekly viewers.

    Tata says that the popularity of CNN is what brings them more advertisers and added that CNN has tie-ups with 1,000 TV affiliates around the world “who are very much a part of the wider CNN family”.

    “Clients and agencies have shown an increasing interest in news channels, and for CNN, the response continues to be positive. With increase in news viewing habits in India, new product categories have started advertising on news channels, such as insurance companies, tourism boards, etc.” averred Tata, who quit the Star group to join CNN as vice president in 2004.

    According to Tata, in the recent Global Capital Markets Survey (GCMS) 2006, conducted by Objective Research, CNN International reconfirmed its position as the leading news brand for the global financial community, across all regions (Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America).

    “At the same time, the latest Pan Asia Cross Media survey (PAX research Q3, 05 – Q2, 06) underscores the findings by demonstrating that CNN continues to most successfully reach the wider business elite of financial decision makers regardless of rank/seniority across the Asia Pacific region. CNN has ranked first in the news and business genre every year since 1997, according to the latest set of PAX figures,” Tata observed.

    (PAX represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets: – Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo.)

    She claimed it is proven that during events of global implications, viewers from around the world, including India, tune in to CNN International, to keep themselves abreast of the latest developments.

    The Indian affluent group continues to grow, travel regionally and globally, do more business around the region while Indian companies are increasingly expanding globally, she explained.

    “With these developments, we are seeing a growing interest in international news and business. CNN’s “Your World Today” being in a prime time slot is an indication of this growth. We are the leading news provider around the world and will continue to grow our position in India,” Tata says. Tata explained that India has always been a key market for CNN and especially more so now because of the country’s geo-political situation.

    “India cannot be ignored by anyone, and is critical from the news point of view. What India does and the developments in this region have repercussions on the international scene, and so it’s natural for us to continue with our focus on India and the region,” Tata stated “We have been covering all major Indian news with international relevance like the Indian elections, the Maharashtra rain catastrophe, the tsunami disaster, important Indian personalities, the Mumbai blasts, IT outsourcing, most recently the, Ardh Kumbh Mela, revival of the Indian railways, the surrogacy report, and many more areas. Besides, the “Eye on India” series focuses on topics like nuclear energy, Bollywood, outsourcing and many more,” she asserted.

    Asked what she thinks is CNN’s edge in India, Tata replied: “CNN International is targeted at the global citizen, who is interested in knowing what is happening around the world. Our content reflects this, and we bring viewers coverage of global events with a regional perspective.

    “On the news front, CNN’s New Delhi bureau chief, Phil Turner along with CNN’s senior International correspondent, Satinder Bindra and CNN’s New Delhi based video correspondent, Seth Doane, focus on covering domestic news and developments and have filed numerous stories from India.

    “In addition, CNN’s feature programmes such as Richard Quest’s ‘QUEST’, Art of Life, Global Office, Global Challenges and Talk Asia have done stories out of India, and we will continue to do many more,” she explained “Actually, we find that the growth of news channels tends to increase the amount of viewers who watch news and business programming, thus creating a bigger audience pool. Through CNN-IBN and CNN International we have a very firm footing in the Indian marketplace. We are constantly exploring business options here and across the region. So wait n watch and stay tuned to CNN!” she quipped.

  • Media Development Authority of Singapore unveils two-tier license framework for IPTV

    Media Development Authority of Singapore unveils two-tier license framework for IPTV

     MUMBAI: The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has rolled out a new two-tier license framework for Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) that aims to further facilitate the growth of IPTV services in Singapore, to tangible benefits for the industry and consumers.

    “We took into consideration the developments in technology in a rapidly evolving media landscape and local industry feedback when factoring flexibility in this license framework to address the needs of niche IPTV players vis-à-vis mass market IPTV players while ensuring that consumer interests are not compromised,” explained MDA director media policy Ling Pek Ling.

    “This will enable the entry of more industry players looking to provide a wide range of IPTV services to consumers including those who are currently not served or not well served by existing broadcasters. At the same time, consumers can look forward to richer and diversified content.”

    In line with the new license framework, MDA has issued SingNet Pet Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Limited, a Nationwide subscription TV service license to roll out commercial IPTV services.

    According to an official release, the tiered IPTV license framework offers service providers two types of licenses:

    – Nationwide subscription TV License: Players providing services that have wide reach (over 100,000 subscribers) and impact. They will be awarded a Nationwide License, similar to that for a mass market pay TV operator.

    – Niche Subscription TV License: This facilitates the entry of new niche players offering IPTV services which have limited reach (100,000 subscribers or less) and impact. The licensee would be subject to a lighter license framework. For example, niche licensees will not be required to carry the local free-to-air channels.

    Where the subscriber base exceeds 100,000 subscribers, the following secondary criteria will be used to determine if the operator can still qualify as a Niche player to allow those targeting niche market segments like the expatriate community and hotels to grow their business and improve their business case:

    – Location: whether the service is offered chiefly to specific non-residential locations in Singapore.

    – Language: whether there is a high percentage of foreign language content.

  • NDTV Networks Plc, UK, seeks FIPB nod

    NDTV Networks Plc, UK, seeks FIPB nod

    MUMBAI: NDTV Group is setting up a company in the UK as part of its plans to launch a Hindi entertainment channel, sources close to the company say.

    The company, NDTV Networks Plc, UK, is expected to own a stake in the Indian company that will launch the channel. It is not yet clear whether NDTV Networks will wholly own the Indian company or a part of the stake.
    NDTV Networks has already made an application to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for approval, stating that the company’s activities would include “non news and current affairs channels.” More details are not available.

    NDTV Ltd. had earlier announced it would form NDTV Ventures to start a slew of TV channels, including a Hindi general entertainment channel. The non-news forays would be undertaken by NDTV Ventures and will have under it the entertainment and new media divisions, the company had said.

    NDTV Group will be raising money to support its entertainment channel, market sources say. The UK-based company will play a big role in lining up investments for NDTV’s expansion plans in the area of non news channels, they add. How this will be structured, though, remains unclear at this stage.

    When contacted, NDTV Ltd. director Narayan Rao declined to comment on the issue. “We will make an announcement of our plans soon,” he said. NDTV’s chief executive for growth and strategy Vikram Chandra also refused to talk on the subject.

    NDTV has roped in filmmaker Karan Johar for the Hindi general entertainment channel. His production house, Dharma Productions, will hold a small equity stake in the channel.

  • TV18 goes live from NSE TV18 Media Centre

    TV18 goes live from NSE TV18 Media Centre

    MUMBAI: The Television Eighteen Group (TV18) and the National Stock Exchange have come together to form the NSE-TV18 Media Centre.

    CNBC AWAAZ went live this morning from the NSE-TV18 Media Centre housed at the NSE premise in Mumbai. The partnership aims to provide a platform to bring real-time reportage, corporate earnings and discussions with company management to a larger national and international audience.

    On the launch of the NSE TV18 Media Centre, Television Eighteen India Limited managing director Raghav Bahl ‘We believe that this is a concrete step further in enhancing levels of transparency and communication with investors. This is a first in the history of the Indian stock markets and TV18 is extremely proud to partner India’s leading stock exchange, the NSE.’

    National Stock Exchange managing director Ravi Narain added, ‘The setting up of the media centre is a step in line with global practices. Most of the leading exchanges worldwide have set up such platforms for real time coverage of markets. This I believe takes the exchange to the doorstep of the investor.’

    CNBC Awaaz editor Sanjay Pugalia also pointed out, ‘CNBC Awaaz has successfully completed 2 years in India and is the fastest growing channel in the country today. CNBC Awaaz cuts through jargon and gives information in a language understood by everyone, reaching out to a wider audience and that is the reason why CNBC AWAAZ is solely responsible for 55% growth in the business genre viewership. The partnership with NSE is our endeavour to make real time stock market information available for the investors’.

    The ‘e-inauguration’ beamed live on CNBC AWAAZ and was simulcasted on other TV18 network channels.Speaking on the occasion finance minister P Chidambaram said, ‘It is now time to focus our efforts on making information available instantaneously to the entire target audience – domestic and overseas. The joint initiative of TV18 and NSE to set up a media centre to bring real time linkages between markets, corporates and investing communities, live from the media centre is a step in this direction. I am sure that this would bring the viewer closer and will improve the level of communication between the company management and the shareholders’.

    Market hour programming on CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz will go live from the NSE.Also earnings coverage of NSE listed companies and listings on the NSE will be announced live from the NSE TV18 media centre.

  • Al-Jazeera English to air ‘Children of Conflict’

    Al-Jazeera English to air ‘Children of Conflict’

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera English announced its four-part series, Children of Conflict, presented by Nadene Ghouri. The series explores the lives of children around the world shattered by growing up in conflict zones.

    Ghouri travels to Gaza, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lebanon where she meets children growing up in an environment of frequent violence and constant economic depression.
    Children of Conflict is broadcast from Doha across the Al Jazeera English channels available on more than 80 million cable and satellite households.

    The series will include stories from Gaza where the theme revolves around the women in this region – the oldest Paletinian suicide bomber and profiling the girls who aim to be journalists and the first female Palestinian president.

    The series from Lebanon goes back to the teenage survivors of Qana massacre. Afghanistan which has endured almost 30 years of conflict has one series devoted to the suffering of the children in this region. The final and most shocking series takes a look at the Congolese child soldier.

    Al Jazeera English follows the model set up by international news channels like BBC and CNN which have an adequate mix of news and documentary series.The channel is headquartered at Doha and broadcasts from studios in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC, in addition to 20 other countries.

    It is currently available in 80 million homes and plans to double its target audience in Europe, Africa and South-East Asia.

  • Honda Civic bags ‘NDTV Profit Car & Bike Award’ Car of the Year

    Honda Civic bags ‘NDTV Profit Car & Bike Award’ Car of the Year

    MUMBAI: Hero Honda CBZ X-Treme & Honda Civic were named as the best bike and the best car of 2006 at the annual ‘NDTV Profit Car & Bike India Awards’ event in Mumbai. Honda Civic and TVS Apache won the Viewers’ Choice awards and the Marketing Team award went to General Motors. Mr. Anand Mahindra was awarded the ‘NDTV Profit Car & Bike Automobile Man of the Year’.

    Speaking on the occasion, Honda Siel Cars India president and CEO M Takedagawa said, ‘Civic has done us proud across the world with its style, technology and its ability to adapt ongoing innovation and its heartening to know it’s the same for India’.

     
    Hero Honda managing director Pawan Munjal while accepting the Bike of the year for CBZ X-Treme said, ‘This award is a tribute to Hero Honda and all in the Hero Honda family’.

    Mahindra and Mahindra vice chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra on being awarded Automotive Man of the Year award said, ‘I am happy to receive the award from a prestigious and credible organization like NDTV and I dedicate this award to the entire Mahindra team’.

    The second edition of ‘CNB-AAA Awards 2007’, in association with Car India and Bike India was witnessed by the nation’s top professionals corporate honchos from the auto industry. The NDTV Profit Car and Bike awards celebrates the best design, unmatched technology, style and performance in the automobile industry and awards the best vehicles that dominated the markets.

    CNB-AAA Awards is an attempt to award the best in the automobile industry as showcased in the Car and Bike and All About Ads shows. The event was presented across 30 different categories at a special awards ceremony at Mumbai.

    Some of the unique award categories that were incorporated this year included best commercial vehicles awards, vehicle Design and imported vehicles award.
    ** Winners in respective categories:

    Cars

    Honda Civic – Car of the Year

    Maruti and General Motors – Car Manufacturer of the Year.

    The category saw a tie between the two automobile manufacturers.

    Chevrolet Aveo U-VA – Small Car of the Year

    Hyundai Verna – Mid-size Car of the Year

    Honda Civic – Executive Car of the Year

    Toyota Camry – Premium Car of the Year

    Honda CR-V- SUV of the Year

    Audi Q7- Import SUV of the Year

    Porsche 911 Carrera 4S- Import Car of the Year

    Aspire Asymmetric Tyre, Apollo Tyres – Automotive Product of the Year

    ABS ESP from MICO BOSCH – Automotive Technology of the Year

    Bikes

    Hero Honda CBZ X-Treme – Bike of the Year

    Bajaj Auto Limited – Bike Manufacturer of the Year

    Bajaj Platina – Bike of the Year upto 100 cc

    Yamaha Gladiator – Bike of the Year upto 125 cc

    Hero Honda CBZ X-Treme- Bike of the Year upto 150 cc

    Kinetic Blaze – Scooter of the Year

    PGM-FI from Hero Honda – Bike Technology of the Year 

    Commercial Vehicles

    Force MAN L49 Tractor Head – CV of the Year

    Tata Motors Limited- CV Manufacturer of the Year

    Volvo B7R – CV Technology of the Year
    Special Award

    Karun Chandhok – Indian Motorsport Award

    Honda Civic – Automotive Design of the year Automotive
    Man of the Year Mahindra & Mahindra vice chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra

    CNB/NDTV AWARDS

    M&M Scorpio – CNB-AAA Creative Print Campaign of the year

    Zen Estilo – CNB-AAA Creative TV Campaign of the year

    General Motors – CNB-AAA Marketing team of the year 
    Honda and General Motors (Tie & award shared between the two)

    CNB-AAA PR & Viewer’s Choice Awards

    TVS Apache – CNB-AAA Viewers’ choice Bike of the Year

    Honda Civic – CNB-AAA Viewers’ choice Car of the Year 
    Aamir Khan (Toyota Innova) – CNB-AAA Brand Ambassador of the Year.

  • Paul Aiello named Star CEO after Guthrie exit

    Paul Aiello named Star CEO after Guthrie exit

    MUMBAI: Star has appointed Paul Aiello, currently its president, as chief executive, replacing present CEO Michelle Guthrie, who has resigned. Guthrie’s departure will be effective 1 March.

    It was only last April that Aiello was appointed president in a newly created role and put in charge of developing strategic and business directions for the pan Asian broadcaster while overseeing corporate functions including business development, strategy and implementation, Star ventures, government affairs and corporate communications.

    The position of Steve Askew, chief operating officer (Star) & president (Star Entertainment) in the new dispensation is also unclear. Askew is presently on four months’ sick leave, according to industry sources.

    Commenting on the announcement, News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch said, “Paul has done an exceptional job at Star since joining the company, leading its corporate team and overseeing its overall growth strategy. Paul’s business acumen, strong leadership and financial skills as well as in-depth knowledge of the diverse and complex media and telecommunications industries in Asia make him the ideal candidate to steer the long-term growth and success of the company.”

    Meanwhile, Star officials refused comment on reports that Star Entertainment India CEO Sameer Nair had resigned and would be joining Prannoy Roy’s NDTV. Attempts to contact Nair proved fruitless at the time of filing this report.

    When contacted, NDTV officials were quite categorical that reports of Nair’s joining the news major to head up their broadcast entertainment venture were without basis.

    Aiello’s appointment followed soon after the creation of a new, convoluted executive structure within Star wherein Steve Askew was named president of Star Entertainment in addition to COO of Star.

    The biggest news then was of course the shake up in the Indian operations wherein two units were created – Star Group and Star Entertainment – with Peter Mukerjea made CEO of Star Group India and Nair promoted from COO to CEO of Star Entertainment.

    As CEO of Star Entertainment, Nair was given the responsibility of overseeing all day-to-day operations including programming, marketing, advertising sales and distribution while pursuing growth opportunities in new media including wireless and internet.

    Nair was reporting to Askew while Mukerjea continued to report to Guthrie.

    Aiello, 42, joined Star from Morgan Stanley where he worked for more than nine years. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Aiello was vice president, mergers and acquisitions, Investment Banking Department of CS First Boston Limited, Hong Kong.