ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • Sony set to launch ‘Bigg Boss’ on 3 November

    Sony set to launch ‘Bigg Boss’ on 3 November

    MUMBAI: Sony is ready to roll on its its big ticket property for the latter of half of 2006 – Bigg Boss, the Indianised version of the international format Big Brother.

    Can a show that has a highly voyeuristic core with a lot of negative machinations at play work in the Indian context? Most certainly, asserts Sony chief creative director Sandiip Sikcand. The reality show will have all the elements and more that make saas-bahu weepies such a rage in India, avers Sikcand, giving his reasoning on why he expects the concept to replicate the success it has enjoyed in territories like the UK.

    Bigg Boss launches Friday, 3 November, with the unveiling of the 13 celebrity participants. It will have a 12-week run, with telecast running from Monday through to Friday.

    On Fridays, Bigg Boss will run the elimination episode, where as the Monday to Thursday episodes will be packed with the regular drama and reality content. Significantly, Sony has opted for the 10 pm slot (Monday to Thursday) at a time when an interesting fight is going on between Star Plus and Zee TV in that time band. Bigg Boss will be confronting Star Plus’ Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, which airs from Monday to Thursday and Zee TV’s newly launched show Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann.

    The Friday episodes are slotted for 9 pm. On Friday, Bigg Boss will be attacking Star Plus’ Baa, Baho and Baby and Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs’.

    Bigg Boss, the real life soap will have 13 celebrities confined inside a specially designed house where every single point in the house is within view of a video camera. The housemates will be watched by 28 cameras.

    They will not be permitted any contact with the outside world: no TV, radio, telephone, internet, not even writing materials. The public is invited to vote to evict one of the contestants. The last remaining is the winner who bags Rs 500000/-. The ‘Bigg Boss’, an omnipresent voice will be watching all the moves of the housemates. And the popular ‘Circuit’ of Munnabhai MBBS – Arshad Warsi – will be anchoring the show.

    The repeat telecast will be aired in the afternoons. Bigg Boss is regarded as Sony’s next big offering after Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi and Indian Idol. Set India COO NP Singh believes that Bigg Boss, the format show that has successfully attracted millions of viewers over multiple seasons in some of the countries will change television viewing in India too.

    The channel is also planning a multiple season run for Bigg Boss. This time, they have roped in celebrities primarily because curiosity and obsession about the stars have exploded in the country, explains Sikcand.

    The channel has already started marketing this property through a 360 degree campaign. This would be the first time that the channel will be creating mobisodes for the format show. The users can access 30-second to 90-second clips, but Singh refused to divulge as to which telecom operator, the channel had inked a deal with.

    Internet will be yet another medium through which the channel will exhibit its property. A mircosite will be created, through which the streaming of the show will be offered and the mobile episodes will also be accessed, informs Singh.

    It remains to be seen if Bigg Boss brings in the big audiences that will help propel Sony back into the ratings reckoning.

  • ICC sets 7 Nov for audio-visual rights tenders submission

    ICC sets 7 Nov for audio-visual rights tenders submission

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the availability of its Invitation to Tender (ITT) document for audio-visual rights for ICC Events from late 2007 to 2015.

    This is the latest step in the process of exploiting its rights for the eight-year period and follows a series of meetings between the ICC and interested broadcasters and agencies over the past month.

    Those broadcasters and agencies wishing to pursue an interest and receive the ITT can do so by applying to the ICC through email.

    Once they have done that they will be sent a confidentiality letter. When they sign that letter and pay a fee to the ICC they will receive the tender documentation. The deadline for submission of tenders is 7 November 2006.

    ICC CEO Malcolm Speed said, “This is the latest stage of the process to sell the ICC’s commercial and broadcast rights and it is a hugely significant and exciting time for cricket.
    “We have already been gratified and encouraged by the meetings we have held with many interested parties and those meetings have indicated to us that the level of interest in these rights is extremely high.

    “The sale of our rights gives us the opportunity to place cricket on a sound financial footing for the next eight years and, by doing that, it will provide all our Members with the chance to both sustain and grow the game. Yhroughout this whole process we have only one aim in mind – securing the best deal for cricket”.

    Included in the eight-year period under discussion are 18 ICC tournaments with two World Cups, in Asia (2011) and Australasia (2015), and a minimum of three ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.

    Also included are the first two ICC Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa (2007) and England (2009), the latter taking place in the ICC’s centenary year.

    And there are Cricket World Cup Qualifiers, four ICC U/19 Cricket World Cups, and, for the first time, the Women’s Cricket World Cup, with two tournaments scheduled for 2009 (Australia) and 2013 (India) in the eight-year timeframe.

    Meanwhile the BBC’s head of sport, Roger Mosey has said it would bid for live English cricket rights in 2010 when the ECB’s existing deal with pay-broadcaster BSkyB expires. He said that cricket should follow the model used for football, where rights are sold in packages, allowing several broadcasters to share the rights for live games and highlights.

    He has been quoted in media reports saying that a multi-platform model with BSkyB having live Premiership games; the BBC showing Match of the Day and live FA Cup games; ITV and BSkyB sharing the Champions League worked well.

    Further details and updates of the sales process will be announced by the ICC in due course.

  • Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    MUMBAI: Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group controlled Adlabs Films’ net profit stood at Rs 204 million for the quarter ended 30 September as against Rs 62.86 million for the same period last year.

    The second quarter total income recorded an increase of Rs 595.97 million from Rs 246.82 million for the July-September quarter 2005.

    Operating profit stood at Rs 309.51 million as against Rs 110.04 million for the corresponding period last year .

    The company’s expenditure for the quarter closed at Rs 286.45 million as compared to the previous fiscal period Rs 136.79 million.

    Recently, the company picked up 51 per cent stake in Siddharth Basu promoted Synergy Communications. The company also launched its radio stations in Delhi , Hyderabad , Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore, under the brand name Big 92.7 FM.

  • Universal Music sues content sharing sites Grouper, Bolt

    Universal Music sues content sharing sites Grouper, Bolt

    MUMBAI: The world’s largest recording company, Universal Music Group is charging the operators of two video-sharing Web sites for illegal downloading.

    The company has filed lawsuits against Grouper Networks which operates Grouper.com, and Bolt which runs Bolt.com.

    Grouper.com was recently acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment for $65 million. Media reports indicate that the suit charges that both grouper and Bolt.com had built traffic by encouraging users to share music videos from its artists without their permission. In one incident, it claimed a video for the Mariah Carey song “Shake it Off” was viewed more than 50,000 times on Grouper without the company’s permission.

    Earlier Universal had threatened to sue YouTube. However later on the two parties signed a deal to distribute music videos. YouTube agreed to pay a small licensing fee for the material and to share associated advertising revenues. Universal says that prior to filing the suit had looked to reach licensing deals with both Grouper and Bolt.

  • Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment’s format ‘Nirvana’ has been picked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top five formats of Mipcom 2006.

    Whereas India is now a big player in sourcing formats from the world market, this will be the first time an Indian content producer has created content for the world market, informs an official release.

    Executive chairman of Optimystix, Sanjiv Sharma said “This is a format what we pitched to our fellow members at the Sparks Network at MIP TV in April this year. Whereas the format was extremely well received, it really exciting to be picked as one of the top five formats of the world’s biggest content market. We have serious interest for Nirvana from Networks in the US, France, Finland, Belgium, Poland and Italy.”

    Nirvana is a format where seekers from a country will come to India to seek spiritual solutions that will help them cope with modern life, the release adds.

    Managing Director and Head of Creative Services at Optimystix, Vipul D Shah said “This is matter of pride for the entire country. Whereas India will continue to consume creative ideas from the world market, it is very important to create content which can be pitted against the best of the best in the global arena.”

    Chairman of the Sparks Network, Nicola Soderlund said “This is the first time an Indian Format has hit the international TV market and this proves that Optimystix can compete with global players. We are very proud that Sparks has played a part in this achievement and expect several more original and ground breaking ideas to come out from this talented team. This is just the beginning.”

  • Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    MUMBAI: Earlier this year in June animation channel Animax underwent a repositioning. While previously it used to target kids now it targets youth 15-24.

    It made a paradigm shift from kids’ entertainment to general entertainment animated series with mature content to be enjoyed by the urban youth.

    It launched its website www.animaxindia.com a couple of months ago. The Animax viewer can log on to obtain updates on the latest buzz words in all things animation. There are Animax forums and chats that discuss everything from Animax shows and animated characters to the exclusive gossip on anime box office and music.

    Animax now claims that since its inception there has been a 237 per cent rise in the page views indicating a page view of 255,262 in the month of September 2006 from 75,636 in the month of August, 2006. The number of unique visitors to the website has also increased at least one-fold from 3,327 in August 2006 to a substantial 8,241 in September, 2006.

    The channel says that since it is now grown up, the Animax viewer is a hip young adult that spends time at coffee shops, browsing the net for the latest in animation, gaming, gadgets and gizmos.

    Animax adds that the Indian youth today want to experience a daily life that is dynamic, fun and full of creativity. It is addressing this need through the site.

    Fans can be updated with all the schedules of their favourite Animax features. The website gives a voice to all the fans with its Animax Forum where they can log in and post their thoughts.

  • Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    MUMBAI: Big 92.7 FM has geared up to celebrate the festival of lights – Diwali on an exciting note and sizzling note with Big Diwali Patakha Contest. This four-day campaign will witness a flurry of fantastic activity based on various innovative themes.

    The activity commences on 18 October, wherein the best comic artists in town will get together to give you a never-before-heard laughter experience all day long, according to an official statement. 

    Listeners can participate and win exciting gifts on the show by sending in their funniest Diwali stories and Diwali. The renowned comedians joining us on the airwaves would be Nazhar Khan,Ashish Roy Basu , Sunil Grover along with our own celebrity RJ Sunil Pal .

    19 October would be a day of predictions and prophecies with All Day Luck astrologers and tarot readers talking about various zodiac signs, birthday dates, and tips on numerology. The prominent astrologers making predictions on Big would be Suniel Naik, Atal Bhambhi and Sunita Menon.

    The third day brings in the nine hour All Day Loot contest, based on the theme of Filmy Patakhas like Neha Dhupia, Koena Mitra, Diya Mirza, Sameera Reddy and Bipasha Basu, wherein listerners will get to hear patakha Songs, patakha celeb bytes and patakha trivia. Nine lucky winners from the contest will be taken to a mall to grab whatever they can in 92.7 seconds. And if this is not enough, some of the winners can also bag a voucher worth Rs 9270 to shop. There will also be hourly winners of gold coins and silver coins from 7 am till 11 PM

    On the eve of Deepawali, Big 92.7 FM celebrates with All Day Tradition a show dedicated to the traditions, customs and rituals of Diwali followed in your city, full of trivia on spirituality and traditions woven around the pious occasion of Diwali. On the auspicious timing of Puja, Big 92.7 FM will air live aartis sung by celebrity singers.

    A day long contest will also be on, wherein the listeners cajole our Celeb RJs to visit their home and join them for the Diwali Aarti in the evening, and lucky winners will see Celeb RJ’s visiting their homes, performing evening Pooja and burst crackers with the lucky Big Family.

  • Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    MUMBAI: Brilliant Entertainment Networks (Ben) has been appointed as the official event management agency for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2006, to be held in Goa this November. The Delhi based company was selected after an elaborate three month selection procedure.

    Out of seven applicants three firms were short-listed by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which is the state owned nodal agency associated with organising International Film Festivals. These included two Mumbai based firms, Wizcraft and 360 degrees Times Infotainment and Delhi based Brilliant Entertainment Networks.

    The IFFI-2004 and IFFI-2005 were handled by 360 degrees and Wizcraft respectively, however Ben walked away with the maximum scores this year. From a total of 100 points in marketing and technical expertise, Ben outscored the others two by a huge margin, the scores being: Ben – 96.4, Times Infortainment – 56 and Wizcraft – 44.

    The state government has been entrusted by the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and therefore, this will be the first time that an event management agency will take care of the inaugural and closing ceremonies too. ESG chief secretary J.P.Singh said, “The firm has been selected because of their creative design and marketing strategy.”

    Ben Director Raman Raheja added, “This is one of the biggest projects of our Events industry. IFFI-2006 gives us an opportunity to use our technical and creative expertise to take this event to the level of Cannes Film Festival.”

  • MTV in content, advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu

    MTV in content, advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV has announced a content and advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu.com.

    The new strategic partnership will give China’s 123 million Internet users easy access to 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickelodeon original video content and music videos licensed by five top Chinese and Asian music companies for online viewing or download through www.baidu.com.

    As part of the agreement, MTV will provide the first-ever branded area featured on Baidu – MTV Zone, which will include advertising at launch by Motorola and P&G. This deal extends MTV China’s digital media position, where MTV claims to have 100 per cent reach of the country’s mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom.

    MTV International president Bill Roedy commented, “This breakthrough relationship with Baidu delivers Chinese audiences a major digital platform for non-stop, 24-hour access to MTV and Nickelodeon programming content for the first time – from SpongeBob SquarePants, to Pimp My Ride, to MTV China’s local original programming like MTV Tian Lai Cun and MTV Music Wire. This alliance with China’s number one Internet search engine is also a key milestone in our digital media position in China and advances our long-term commitment to expanding our brands and local content in China.”

    Baidu.com chairman and CEO Robin Li said, “We are excited to expand our powerful online entertainment platform at Baidu through this first-of-its-kind alliance with MTV Networks. With a diverse offering of original programming, animation and music, Chinese users will be able to experience high quality entertainment on MTV Zone. Content owners and artists will be compensated through this revenue share agreement, which also offers exciting new opportunities for advertisers to reach the online youth demographic in China. We look forward to working with MTV Networks to build on this partnership over the long-term.”

    MTV China will provide four categories of content for MTV Zone on Baidu’s portal, including:

    – MTV China’s locally produced shows such as Music Wire, Tian Lai Cun, MTV Chart Countdown, MTV English, MTV Mega Star and live music events.

    – MTV hit reality shows including Pimp My Ride, Cribs and Laguna Beach.

    – Nickelodeon’s shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, as well as live action series Unfabulous and Drake and Josh.

    – Music videos from four Chinese labels, as well as one Asian label.

    Content will vary in length, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Internet users will be able to access the high-resolution video content via viewing online, as well as downloading using Baidu’s BaiduXsetup software that enables fast downloading. Some downloaded content will require payment, such as music videos, while most will be downloadable free of charge after viewing advertisements. MTVN, Baidu, and where applicable, the record labels, share the revenues.

    MTV and Baidu will also share ad revenues. Motorola and Procter & Gamble’s Rejoice brand have signed on as the first advertisers of MTV Zone downloads. In addition, MTVN has signed licensing agreements with four of the top music companies in Mainland China, including EE Media, Modern Sky, Music Nation and Ocean Butterflies to enable MTVN to distribute music videos for emerging and established artists. These include Jeff Chang, JJ Lin, Aaron Kwok, Wang Rong, New Pants and others. Music video content will also be available from indie label Avex Group, which represents many artists with strong pan-Asian appeal, such as Japan’s Ayumi Hamasaki, Boa, and Namie Amuro; Mainland China’s He Jie; and Taiwan’s Cindy Wang and Show Lo. Additional agreements to offer videos from local and international artists will be announced soon.

    MTV adds that it has many agreements around the world to make its content available on multiple platforms, including the Internet, mobile phones and portable devices. Internet partnerships include companies such as AOL, Google Video, iTunes and Amazon, among others, for MTV, Nickelodeon and the company’s other leading brands.

  • Optus D1 satellite successfully launched

    Optus D1 satellite successfully launched

    MUMBAI:The Optus Networks Pty Ltd has launched into orbit a satellite — Optus D1 that will provide fixed communication and direct television broadcast services to Australia and New Zealand.

    Launched on 13 October into the orbit aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, had been builted by Orbital Sciences Corporation for Optus of Australia, was successfully launched into its targeted orbit aboard an Ariane 5 rocket on Friday, October 13.

    The Optus D1 satellite is the first of the two satellites that Orbital is building for Optus. The second satellite, Optus D2, is scheduled for completion and launch in 2007. 

    Both of the Optus satellites are based on Orbital’s Star 2.4 platform, which can generate nearly five kilowatts of payload power and can weigh over 5,000 pounds (2,500 kilograms) at launch, making them the largest and most powerful commercial communications spacecraft in Orbital’s satellite product line. 

    “The demand for satellite communication services continues to grow strongly for direct-to-home subscription television, remote and rural communications and high speed broadband services,” Optus chief executive Paul O’Sullivan said.