ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • ZEE News and ZEE Business are promotional partner for international film festival of India , Goa

    ZEE News and ZEE Business are promotional partner for international film festival of India , Goa

    MUMBAI: Zee News and Zee Business is the “Promotional Partner” for the 37th International Film Festival of India – the annual celebration of cinema –is starting from November 23rd and will go on till December 3rd 2006 in Goa, India. This time of the year will be seeing some of the best stars of various regions across the country along with the Bollywood biggies to sprinkle the glamour in Goa.

     

    As the official promotional partner, Zee News and Zee Business will be bringing some of the rare visual treats of the Film Festival exclusively for its viewers.

     

    With the festival just a day ahead, Zee News is gearing up for the “Grand opening Ceremony” which will be showcasing the diversity and a mammoth platform that Indian Cinema has created. The channel is going to cover the event extensively that will include interviews, special bytes and exclusive visuals of the 37th IFFI, Goa. From children competition to events, from national, international and regional concerts to movie screening, all the happenings will fill colours to the imagination of the viewers of the channel.

     

    Zee News will exclusively bring special encounters with the most happening stars of the glamour world. Big names like Bipasha Basu, Vikram Phadnis, Shankar Mahadevan, Boney M to name a few, will be part of the promotional interviews on the channel. With all the dignitaries and the distinguished guests, the channel will be covering the glitterati of the festival with regular capsules for its viewers.

     

    Watch Zee News and Zee Business to catch all the actions of 37th International Film Festival of India, Goa.

  • FremantleMedia promotes Gers to head up ancillary rights ops worldwide

    FremantleMedia promotes Gers to head up ancillary rights ops worldwide

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), has promoted Olivier Gers to general manager of FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW).

    In this position, Gers will oversee the exploitation of FremantleMedia’s many strong brands off screen around the world and will be responsible for developing product and promotional associations that enhance and extend consumers’ experience of each property, including brand licensing, music publishing, online and interactive, sponsorship, live events and telephony. Gers will be based in New York and will report to FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender.

    Gers, who has been promoted from his previous role as FLW Americas executive vice president, will work together with Ellender to develop, set and implement the company’s ancillary rights strategic direction within the newly-created FremantleMedia Enterprises Group.

    Ellender said, “I am really delighted that Olivier has agreed to take the helm of FLW. Since joining the company, Olivier has demonstrated a great ability to develop an innovative and hugely successful blend of ancillary rights options around some our key TV brands, working on international hits such as American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud. He has made a significant impact on the growth of the business in the Americas and I am confident that, with his great talent and experience, he is the ideal leader to further build upon FLW’s existing reputation and success and further strengthen our position as leading ancillary rights experts around the world.”

    Gers added, “I’m extremely excited to be taking on this role and leading such a talented team of executives from across the globe. FremantleMedia has developed some of the world’s preeminent entertainment brands and I’m looking forward to working with all our partners worldwide to bring these brands to the next level.”

  • EMI Virgin India takes online route to push ‘Adult’ Paris Hilton video

    EMI Virgin India takes online route to push ‘Adult’ Paris Hilton video

    MUMBAI: The government ban on adult-certified content on television will force the latest Paris Hilton music video Stars Are Blind to keep away from Indian television. (The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has issued an A (Adult) certification for the music video, which is part of Hilton’s debut album Paris).

    EMI Virgin India Ltd, which released the album in Mumbai on 22 August, is now taking the web route to fight the TV ban handicap.

    As part of the initiative, Stars Are Blind will be streamed on www.clinicallclear.com. A four and a half minute censored version of the video will be available for the promotional period of two to three weeks. In India, the album’s marketing campaign has been sponsored by Clinic All Clear shampoo.

    Says EMI Music India marketing manager Kaveri Khullar on the strategies, “This is our opportunity to make use of the web. Viral marketing, outdoor, print and retail campaigns are also on the anvil.”

    Then there are plans in the pipeline to tie up with magazines like Rave and TimeOut. “The campaigns will be extended to other websites including Indiatimes.com. Contests around the same will also be rolled out soon,” adds Khullar.

    Commenting on this association, Hindustan Lever Ltd category head – hair care, Vipul Chawla said, “As a brand Clinic All Clear stands for shedding all inhibitions and coming closer to the opposite sex. Paris is the ultimate seduction diva who with her style and panache will really appeal to our target group. Partnering her debut album synegises with Clinic All Clear’s promise of ‘confidence to get close’.”

    It is yet to be seen whether the TV ban on the first single will affect the marketing of the album here in India. However, one must also consider the fact that the build up of ‘curiosity’ in itself may have a positive outcome for its promotions.

  • Brand-comm ‘webinar’: Consumer insight best tool

    Brand-comm ‘webinar’: Consumer insight best tool

    MUMBAI: Consumer trends on the web were discussed at Brand-comm’s web seminar BrandWidth Online 2006.

    The seminar was addressed by Titan Industries managing director Bhaskar Bhat, McCann Erickson president Santosh Desai and Brand-comm CEO Ramanujam Sridhar.

    The seminar drove home the thought that consumer insight is the greatest tool, after all for marketers who want to keep pace in the changing market scenario.

    Some interesting questions to the panelists were on the movement behind the traditional Indian woman rising above her passivity, on consumer insights providing the way-forward for marketers and the role of technology in the consumer decision process. The panelists discussed the ‘More-Mania’ and the key drivers of consumer behavior in India.

    The seminar had 78 participants who logged in from different parts of the country.

  • Ajay Jadeja, Sanjeev Kapoor to put on their dancing shoes on Sony

    Ajay Jadeja, Sanjeev Kapoor to put on their dancing shoes on Sony

    MUMBAI: Hindi general entertainment channel Sony has had success in the reality genre in the past with shows like Indian Idol. The channel is hoping to consolidate further with a new dance based reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Dancing With The Stars.

    The show kicks off on 7 September and airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 10 pm.

    Actor Shilpa Shetty (one of the judges) along with the celebrity contestants Rati Agnihotri, Shweta Salve, Mona Singh and Mahesh Majrekar For the uninitiated, the show is based on the BBC format Strictly Come Dancing. It also achieved success in the US on ABC.

    There the show is called Dancing With The Stars. Basically well known personalities will show off their dancing skills. They will undergo two weeks of training with their partners who specialise in dancing.

    For Sony’s show, the celebrities chosen are former cricketer Ajay Jadeja, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, actress Rati Agnihotri, television anchor Pooja Bedi, TV actress Mona Singh, director Mahesh Manjrekar, TV star Shweta Salve and TV actor Akashdeep Sehgal.

    The show is being produced by Synergy and Theatre Red. Each episode will see one team eliminated. Viewers can vote through SMS. The judges are director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, choreographer Farah Khan and actress Shilpa Shetty. Equal weightage in terms of points will be given to both the judges and the SMS’ sent in by the viewers.

    Set India COO NP Singh with ace choreographer Sandip Soparkar and SET senior V-P and programming head Anupama Mandloi

    Speaking on the initiative, Sony COO N P Singh says, “The show is all about super achievers in their respective fields who are here yet again to excel in something new. The winner takes home Rs. 5 million. What is unique compared to other shows (read Star One’s Nach Baliye) is that the celebrities do not know how their ability to dance is or is not. Maybe they will discover that they possess a talent to dance. We drew out a list of possible participants. We then decided that these were the celebrities who would be the best fit.”

    BBC Worldwide director of emerging territories Monisha Shah says, “The show is as good as it gets. It has swept global audiences off their feet and has become a ratings blockbuster in every continent. With its wonderful combination of glamour, talent and passion we are especially excited that Sony has taken BBC Worldwide’s format and tailored it so well for the Indian audience. The judges, hosts, celebrities and their partners are all in place.”

    Synergy founder Siddharth Basu says,” Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Dancing With The Stars is a grand and a glamorous show which is as much about live wire personalities and the fun of fusion dance as it is about the grit behind the glamour. It is not just about the usual suspects going through all too familiar routines but about the performance and pain of public figures who are not trained dancers and the fantastic journey they undertake to pit their best foot forward. That is what makes it the mother of all shows and that is what is making it work in countries around the world.”

    On the marketing front to push the show, Singh says that promo spots have been created. These are airing on the channel as well as in cinema halls. The channel is also taking out hoardings and is looking to have a presence in malls. There will also be print ads.

  • Radio Mirchi inaugurates new studio in Bangalore

    Radio Mirchi inaugurates new studio in Bangalore

    BANGALORE: Radio Mirchi today inaugurated their new office and studio in Bangalore. Youth icon John Abraham was the guest of honor and spoke to Mirchi listeners on air. Thereafter, he interacted with his fans who were selected through a contest and invited to the studio for a tête-à-tête with the actor.

    In a little over 100 days, Radio Mirchi has become one of the leading radio stations in Bangalore with a steadily increasing loyal listener base. As per the latest Car Tracks conducted by, IMRB, Radio Mirchi has over 50 per cent market share, claims an official Radio mirchi release.

    Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL) MD and CEO AP Parigi attributes the success of the station to “delivering programmes that are relevant to the people of Bangalore. This is a station for Bangaloreans – speaking their language and touching upon their day to day lives.”

    Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM, a part of the ENIL, was launched in Bangalore on 28 April 2006.

  • GBN to hold 15 per cent in TV18’s Web Holdings

    GBN to hold 15 per cent in TV18’s Web Holdings

    MUMBAI: Raghav Bahl-promoted TV18 Group is consolidating its internet businesses into Web 18 Holdings Ltd. As part of this plan, Global Broadcast News (GBN) has transferred its interactive news and current affairs internet portal, ibnlive.com, to Web 18 Software Services Ltd, a subsidiary of Web 18 Holdings Ltd. With this, GBN will hold a 15 per cent stake in Web Holdings.

    According to the consolidation plan, Web 18 Holdings will run the internet businesses either directly or through its subsidiaries. The internet company plans to raise capital from financial or strategic investors.

    Bahl has an aggressive internet plan and today announced the acquisition of three companies – Cricketnext.com, Compareindia.com and urban Eye. Earlier TV18 acquired significant stakes in Yatra.com and Jobstreet.com India.

    Revenues from TV18’s internet business crossed $1 million during the first quarter of this fiscal.

  • Cisco Systems to acquire Arroyo Video Solutions

    Cisco Systems to acquire Arroyo Video Solutions

    MUMBAI: US-based internet networking player Cisco Systems has announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Arroyo Video Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of next-generation solutions for on-demand television and related consumer services.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay approximately $92 million in cash. The acquisition is subject to various standard closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of Cisco’s fiscal year 2007, ending 31 October, 2006.

    The integration of the Arroyo platform into the Cisco IP-NGN (Next Generation Network) architectural framework will help enable carriers to accelerate the creation and distribution of network delivered entertainment, interactive media and advertising services across the growing portfolio of televisions, personal computers, mobile handsets and emerging media capable devices in our increasingly connected lives, informs an official release.

    “The entertainment industry is going through a major shift while consumer desire for personalized on-demand service is on the rise. The industry is quickly evolving from pure video-on demand to anything-on-demand with any content delivered to any end device. Cisco’s next generation network strategy offers service providers the ability to make this vision a reality,” Cisco senior vice president and general manager Michelangelo A. Volpi. “With the addition of Arroyo’s innovative software, which offers flexibility in content delivery, service providers will be in a position to serve content how, when and where consumers want it.”

    Joining Cisco from Arroyo will be a team of technical industry leaders. This team includes Drew Major, an original founder of Novell and industry icon recognized for his expertise in network operating systems, distributed systems and content delivery networking (CDN). Also joining is Paul Sherer, former chief technology officer at 3Com and key contributor to a broad portfolio of networking patents and technologies. Arroyo was founded in 2002 and has 44 employees based in California and Utah, the release adds.

    Upon close of the transaction the Arroyo team and product portfolio will be integrated into the Cisco Cable & Video Initiatives Group, within the Service Provider organization led by Volpi.

  • ‘Sons & Daughters’ debuts on Star World on 24 August

    ‘Sons & Daughters’ debuts on Star World on 24 August

    MUMBAI: Get introduced to the zany and slightly troubled members of the ‘Walker’ family who try to make it through the day-to-day routine of life as Star World launches the comedy series Sons & Daughters on Thursday 24 August at 10 pm.

    Creators Goss and Nick Holly borrow from their own middle-American, middle-class upbringings to deliver a very real and relatable modern-day family comedy, starring Fred Goss, states an official release.

    At the center of the mess is Cameron Walker (Fred Goss), who is happily married to second wife Liz (Gillian Vigman), with three children. Cameron’s teenage son from his first marriage has officially moved in-and has a little… well, a lot-of trouble becoming comfortable in the new environment. Cameron’s sister Sharon (Alison Quinn) seems to have the perfect life-although her husband, Don (Jerry Lambert), are both in denial about their sex-less marriage. Then there’s Jenna (Amanda Walsh), the gorgeous little half-sister who had her life shook when she became a single mother. Jenna doesn’t really know what’s good for her, and she always goes for the bad boys like Tommy White (Greg Pitts), while the nice guys like Wylie Blake (Desmond Harrington) love her. Equally problem-filled Colleen (Dee Wallace Stone) and Wendal (Max Gail), the parents of the siblings, try to keep their family in order…somehow. Colleen, though, is admittedly uptight and impulsively judgmental. Even though they’re all a little nuts, the Halbert family hangs in there and keeps it all together, the release adds.

  • Sesame Workshop expands opportunities for kids to play with ‘Sesame Street’ friends

    Sesame Workshop expands opportunities for kids to play with ‘Sesame Street’ friends

    MUMBAI: Preschoolers will soon have more opportunities to play with Bert, Ernie, Grover and Elmo. Play With Me Sesame’s worldwide success has led Sesame Workshop to greenlight production of 26 new episodes of the interactive series. In addition, the series is one of the shows included in Sesame program blocks debuting in Poland, Hungary and Croatia.

    Play With Me Sesame encourages children to get up and play games such as Ernie Says (a la Simon Says) and Move and Groove with Grover along with their favorite muppets from Sesame Street. Broadcast in over 50 countries, the series is currently seen on such networks as Disney UK, Disney Asia, ABC Australia, YTV/Treehouse Canada, Cartoon Network India and Rai Sat Italy. The 104 30-minute episodes include a mix of new and classic Sesame Street segments that focus on fundamental concepts critical to reading, math and science, and encourage creativity and individual expression.

    Play With Me Sesame is one of the programs featured in new Sesame programming blocks in Poland, Hungary and Croatia. On Poland’s Minimini, the recently launched Sesame Nook includes Elmo’s World, Play With Me Sesame, Global Grover and Sesame English. In December, broadcaster Minimax will begin airing a Sesame block with Play With Me Sesame, Elmo’s World and Global Grover, in Hungary, Romania Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The three series will also be seen in Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Slovena, Serbia and Montenegro, starting in early 2007, in a block on broadcaster Magma.

    “The expansion of the Sesame brand through wonderfully interactive shows like Play With Me Sesame and Elmo’s World give children around the globe new ways to experience fun and learning in the way Sesame does it best. We are excited to bring more games to children with the addition of new episodes of Play With Me Sesame and thrilled that children throughout Eastern Europe will have the chance to interact with friends like Grover and Elmo,” said Worldwide Television Distribution vice president Jennifer Monier-Williams.

    Play With Me Sesame is produced by Games Productions Inc. in association with Noggin and Sesame Workshop. The series will be available to international buyers and co-producers at the Mipcom market at Cannes in October.