ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • I&B announces initiatives to boost film industry

    I&B announces initiatives to boost film industry

    MUMBAI: The Central Government has taken the following initiatives for facilitating the growth of film sector, as announced by the minister of Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, P R Dasmunsi in Lok Sabha today. 
    The initiatives include:

    – Institutional financing is now available to the film industry.

    – 100 per cent foreign direct investment is permitted in the film sector.

    – Government has encouraged participation in global markets with a view to enhancing the visibility of the film industry abroad.

    – Film weeks and festivals are held on reciprocal basis with various countries.

    – Audiovisual co-production agreement has been signed with the Republic of Italy and Government of UK and similar proposals from other countries are being explored to expand avenues of finances and markets for the Indian film industry.

    – The recommendations of the Committee for the Development of entertainment sector have been conveyed to all the State Governments.

    – The National Film Development Corporation, a public sector unit under this Ministry provides financial assistance and other services to the film industry.
    The endeavor is to facilitate the entertainment sector to achieve its potential and promote growth in exports, so that this sector is able to increase its contribution towards generating income and employment in the country, informs an official press statement.

    The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has also submitted a memorandum on film industry for the 11th Five Year Plan. The memorandum deals with various issues relating to the film sector. It contains suggestions to mitigate video piracy, levy of uniform entertainment tax across all States, fiscal and tax benefits, review of the Cinematograph Act, incentives for setting up polytechnics, institutes and film schools and an Export Promotion Council for films.

  • BSkyB’s revenues up eight per cen

    BSkyB’s revenues up eight per cen

    MUMBAI: UK pay TV service provider BSkyB has annnounced results for the year ended 30 June 2006.

    Revenue increased by eight per cent to £4.1 billion. Operating profit increased by seven per cent to £877 million, an operating margin of 21 per cent.

    DTH subscribers increased to 8.176 million, registering a growth of 77,000 in the final quarter and 389,000 in the year. Sky+ households increased by 75 per cent to 1.553 million. Multiroom households increased by 62 per cent to 1.047 million. This represents a 13 per cent penetration of total DTH subscribers.

    Preparations were made for the launch of Sky Broadband following the acquisition of Easynet Group. During the year, the company launched Sky HD, new customer management systems were implemented for all DTH customers and key rights to the FA Premier League secured for the 07/08 to 09/10 seasons.

    In addition were major contracts agreed with movie studio and third party channel partners. BSkyB also announced the creation of over 2,000 new jobs for customer advisors and home installation engineers.

    BsSkyB CEO James Murdoch said, “Our industry is changing faster than ever before and for Sky, 2006 has been an important and exciting year. The business and the team have performed well delivering good levels of customer growth, in line with our plans, and strong growth in both revenues and profitability.

    “We have a clear vision for the future growth and direction of our business and we feel encouraged by the strong demand our customers show for new entertainment and communications services. With a continued focus on providing more choice, flexibility and control, we feel confident as we look ahead to the substantial opportunity this market holds for us.”

  • Vivendi Games turns on the heat with ‘Miami Vice’ game

    Vivendi Games turns on the heat with ‘Miami Vice’ game

    MUMBAI: Vivendi Games’ Sierra Entertainment has launched a game for the playstation based on the new film Miami Vice.

    The game has been released in the US. Set in present-day Miami, the third-person action shooter is inspired by the crime drama, Miami Vice. Players will go deep undercover as narcotic officers Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs in the notorious world of Miami Vice — a place where badges don’t count.

    The development of the game comes through an agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. Vivendi Games chief strategy and marketing officer Cindy Cook says, “By allowing players to go dangerously undercover as Crockett and Tubbs in the rich, glamorous and decadent world of Miami Vice, as well as providing game design elements that maximise the technology of the PSP system including cutting-edge motion capture, highly-detailed environments, and lighting effects inspired by the film, Miami Vice The Game delivers a truly authentic Miami Vice experience that will appeal to fans and action gamers”.

    In Miami Vice The Game, players follow a storyline set just before the events of the film. Gamers must build up the nefarious reputation necessary to infiltrate the seedy underbelly of South Beach, and ultimately bring down the organisation of an ‘untouchable’ South American drug lord. Gamers can also choose to play as either Crockett or Tubbs, or team up via wireless to play each action-packed mission cooperatively.

    Armed with intelligence from informants and utilising hacking skills, players will take on the enemy in varied locations with an impressive array of weapons including high-speed chases through Miami’s treacherous waterways while engaging in boat-to-boat shootouts.

  • US pubcaster PBS announces online download initiative

    US pubcaster PBS announces online download initiative

    MUMBAI: US pubcaster PBS has announced the launch of a download to own initiative that lets viewers purchase episodes of its programmes via the Internet for viewing anytime, anywhere.

    PBS has teamed with Open Media Network, a non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing the best of public broadcasting and educational programming to the Internet via
    www.omn.org.

    PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger says, “PBS and our local stations are undergoing a transformation from traditional television broadcasting to a vibrant 21st century digital public media service.

    “Open Media Network is helping us accomplish this by offering favourite PBS programs for sale directly to the online audience. We’re excited to partner with another non-profit organisation committed to bringing PBS’ award-winning content to the public.”

    Open Media Network (OMN) uses the Internet to bring online audiences educational programming. It provides its service free of charge to other non-profit and service institutions while utilising advanced video and audio delivery technology. Programming is delivered in full DVD quality and is then viewable on a variety of devices, including notebook computers, portable media players, cell phones and set top boxes.

    Open Media Network founder Mike Homer says, “Some of the most informative, thought provoking programmes on television are brought to us by PBS and its member stations. Making this content available through Internet downloads for anytime, anywhere viewing means that we can help PBS bring it to a much larger audience than ever before.”

    OMN says that it brings advantages to PBS, NPR and public broadcasters that extend viewership and encourage audience participation. OMN lets public broadcasters across the country, like KQED (San Francisco), Idaho Public Television and WGBH (Boston), offer their television and radio programs from their own websites using their own brands or through OMN’s website, increasing their potential audiences.

    Showcasing the local associations PBS stations have within their communities, PBS programmes downloaded through OMN will soon carry a spot encouraging viewers to become members of their local PBS station.

    Viewers can start watching PBS content now by going to www.omn.org and downloading the free OMN internet TV player. Each episode is $1.99 for unlimited playbacks, except for Nova which is priced at $7.99 per episode.

  • Hindi news channels on high growth rollercoaster

    What’s on the news tonight? Well, pretty much the full spectrum – from ghouls to goons, politics, drama, comedy, tragedy, tragi-comedy… and everything in between. We’ve even had our own version of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” LIVE as it happened beamed into millions of homes. Remember 5-year-old Prince from Haryana and his 50-hour ordeal down a pit that played out over all the television news networks. Some pundits have decried the carpet bombing coverage as indicative of the pits to which news reportage has descended but ask your average media planner / buyer and he’ll more likely tell you (off the record of course): “Bring it on.”

    Rescuers carrying 5-year-old Prince who fell into a 60-foot hole in Kurukshetra, Rajasthan. Zee News, which first broke this story, went all-out on its coverage of what became a national event.

    Because it is this smorgasbord of subjects of coverage, which offers something for everyone, that is driving up not just the ratings, but also revenues for Hindi news channels. And while there are those who wonder when the Hindi news engine will start to lose its steam, most are in agreement that it is not going to be any time soon.

    Just how much Hindi news channels clocked this year varies (depending on who you speak to) from a low of Rs 3 billion to over Rs 4.5 billion. What most seem to agree on though, is that growth is chugging at a fast clip with the expectations for this year being between 20-30 per cent.

    According to Meenakshi Madhvani, head of media audit firm Spatial Access Solutions, “From Rs 350 crores (Rs 3.5 billion) in the last fiscal, I think it (ad revenues) would go up to Rs 450 crores in this fiscal, an increase of 28.5 per cent in the genre. Hence a rate of growth significantly higher than the overall TV business.”

    Jan-06
    Jun-06
    Channel
    Share %
    Share %
    Aaj Tak    24.5    27.0
    Star News    21.3    18.5
    Zee News    14.8    16.4
    NDTV India    19.1    13.5
    Channel 7    6.9    10.0
    India TV    7.2    8.5
    Sahara Samay National    6.1    6.0
    TG CS15+ Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) Source TAM Peoplemeter
    Giving his reasoning, MindShare managing director West and South R Gowthaman says, “The Hindi news genre is growing as there is still a significant appetite. However, I am not sure whether there is space for more channels now. 2006 over 2005/4 grew on the back of new channels coming on board, in the sense this was an organic growth. Not a reflection of ratings, but a reflection of supply. I would say, the category (Hindi news cluster) “heat” is just right with 10 channels… 

    “Overall share of Hindi News channel as a cluster can grow from now on only on the back of quality content, viz more local segments etc., which could help garner more share. Only garnering more share can provide fillip to increasing revenues…”

    OMS regional director Madan Mohapatra offers his view on the key aspects that are underpinning this phenomenal revenue and ratings growth.

    Based on Card Costs
    Rank    Top Advertisers
    1    Emami Limited
    2    Hindustan Lever Ltd
    3    Coca Cola India Ltd
    4    Tata Motors Ltd
    5    Biswanath Hosiery Mills Ltd
    6    Paras Pharmaceuticals Ltd
    7    Bhawani Textiles
    8    Surya Food And Agro Pvt Ltd
    9    Mahashiya Di Hatti Limited
    10    Action Shoes
    Source: AdEx India, A Division of TAM Media Research Period: Jan-June ’06
    Medium: Hindi News Channels
    Says Mohapatra: “Four years ago, advertisers looking to build reach turned to general entertainment channels. Three years ago, Hindi movies channels got added to the reach build proposition. Hindi news is currently in the phase where this genre is transiting from niche to reach build. And it was Aaj Tak which showed the way for the rest to follow. If the pace at which this genre is moving currently is maintained, one year down the line, live Hindi news will complete that transition (from niche to reach build).

    “Once this happens, the perception factor in determining rates will go down. This is already happening actually. For example, earlier, the faces on the channels made for a great built-in value add. Today, nobody is sure anymore which face will pop up on which channel. Thanks to this, channel perceptions are going to get evermore fragmented.”

    This could well sound a warning bell for channels like NDTV and CNBC, which enjoy a good mark-up on rates because of the “personalities” they carry. As Madhvani points out, “A channel like Aaj Tak is seen as delivering reach in the North, but when it comes to channel decisions, it is driven by personal choices. Because of which there is a lot of dichotomy. I have seen so many instances of people putting fairly large sums of ad money on CNBC, which doesn’t deliver anything in terms of numbers but is seen as a channel which decision makers watch and the channel that delivers corporate India to you. 
    There are these popular perceptions that some channels have very smartly exploited.

    “NDTV for instance, which has a fantastic marketing and sales team, is able to leverage these perceptions to get more than their fair share of advertising. That’s marketing!”

    No Softening of Rates
    The big question that flows out of all this of course is whether fragmentation will lead to effective rates going down in the near to mid-term? The answer is an emphatic NO!

    Jai Jawan: NDTV India trumpets its patriotic credentials.
    Why? Says Madhvani, “This is on account of rates being upped, more advertisers/ad categories being targeted and a greater level of effort being put in by the sales teams and less due to the launch of new channels!

    Mohapatra opines, “This is because the choice of clientele is proportionately growing. This year, I see sectors like property, infrastructure, education, retail, IPOs all contributing to this growth. There will be many first time advertisers as well. Add to that, now, because of the reach deliveries, even FMCGs are looking at news channels.

    Estimated Revenues Hindi channels achieved in FY2006
    Aaj Tak    Rs 1.4 billion
    NDTV India    Rs 900 million
    Star News    Rs 750 million
    Zee News    Rs 600 million
    DD News    Rs 400 million
    Channel7 / India TV / Sahara Samay    Rs 300 million
    “What will happen is that channels at the bottom of the spectrum will be able to up their rates. I see a flattening of rates across news channels happening. And those that can’t raise rates will simply increase the number of spots they carry. What we are also seeing across news channels is an increase in ad secondage per hour. If the average earlier was 10-12, today it is 14 and even higher in some cases.”

    Targeted Advertising
    Media planner Rahul Panchal says, “Today all channels in their own way, indulge in customized ads through lifestyle shows. Major brands like ICICI and Tata Motors spend approximately Rs 60 million to Rs 80 milllion on news channels through this avenue. Adds Panchal, “Customized shows provide mileage to the brands and the show without tampering with the core content.”

    Clients also target their ads. Aaj Tak primarily targets the middle class, servicing the north-east region. (Brands such as vest / undergarments are glaring on the Aaj Tak screen). Research indicates that Aaj Tak primarily brings in and engages male viewers, Panchal says.

    Crime Scene Investigation – Star News style.
    According to Panchal, Star News has a strong hold in Mumbai, while Zee News is strong in Delhi. When looking at Hindi news channels, clients pitch in their money according to frequency plan, besides perception and ratings, he avers. 

    “When a new ad campaign is unleashed on Aaj Tak, it has a high reach in the initial week. While in the following weeks it will witness a low incremental reach. On the other hand NDTV India, where the loyalty is less and it is more of a co-viewing, the incremental reach is high in the following weeks and not in the initial week.” 

    Meanwhile, when it comes to the gore factor, it is the crimes shows on Star News Zee News and Aaj Tak that advertisers flock to.

    Hindi News TG definition Blurring

    One function of the increasing spread of coverage that news channels are attempting is the blurring of distinctions as to what TG defines a Hindi news consumer. Points out Madhvani, “News channels always have the option of the mass route and the class route. The Hindi channels appear to have exploited this better than anyone else. Taking the Aaj Tak example, if Aaj Tak caters to mass markets (including a significant chunk of the class), Tez is specifically targeted at the upper end.

    Aaj Tak – Still leading after all these years.
    “I would say that Hindi news channels are the ‘male mass channels’ that compete with the Star Plus’ of the world. The genre is still evolving and putting a demographic TG to it (to possibly differentiate it from the English news genre) will not do justice to it.”

    Avers Gowthaman, “Currently the content seems to be targeted towards, self employed professionals, traders and to some extent broadly to the chief wage earner of the house. However, I still believe there is no clear cut focus on content that could clearly distinguish the target. All the channels look the same and they cover pretty much the same topics.”

    Distribution Issues Will Drag Down Revenues
    The biggest issue that all news channels are confronting is the ever rising costs of distribution. And with more and more players coming in, there is just no respite from that.

    This is inevitably going to result in the flattening of the growth curve over the next two years. Particularly on the distribution side, revenues coming in look unlikely except on addressable platforms like DTH, digital cable, IPTV, mobile TV, etc.

    An industry observer sums up the situation aptly when he says, “Earlier channels paid carriage fees. Then it became carriage + placement fees. Today, even displacement fees (of rival channels) have come into the picture.” 

    Says Madhvani, “Those who get the distribution game right will rule. Geographic expansion (whether urban, rural, national or international) is dependent on it. And with CAS/DTH in the offing in India, penetration will become a key issue for all players, in urban as well as rural markets.

    “Primary drivers of viewership for a news channel could include variety of coverage, relevance and immediacy (and of course distribution); however it is credibility that sustains viewership and will drive growth in the long run.

    “Channels that have the right mix of all elements and can still differentiate from the rest in terms of content and presentation will thrive.”

    The right mix. That is easier said than done. To quote McCann Erickson India president Santosh Desai from his column – The Last Word – in the 30 July edition of The Week: “Market forces seem to push channels away from balance and not towards it. The moment the success of news channels gets evaluated in terms of its viewership, and not the credibility and impact of its coverage, news becomes a spectacle and channels strain every fibre to keep people hooked.”

    In the near term at least it could well be that spectacle will rule. The billion rupee question is really – will credibility take centrestage in the long run? The road the news channels are taking currently offers no credible assertion that it will.

  • ‘Lost’ interactive game gathering steam

    ‘Lost’ interactive game gathering steam

    MUMBAI: In a bid to enhance the brand of the action adventure television show Lost US broadcaster ABC had launched an interactive web-based game Lost Experience in May in the US, UK and Australia.

    Currently in phase three of five of the interactive challenge, the meaning behind the numbers 4 8 15 16 23 42, which play a significant role on the television series, will be revealed.

    So far, the Lost Experience has unveiled information regarding the Black Rock. The Lost Experience will continue to the premiere of the third season revealing secrets behind the mysterious Alvar Hanso and the Hanso Foundation.

    Those wishing to participate can do so by viewing a synopsis at blogs.abc.com/inside_the_experience/ which allows new participants the chance to enter into the Experience with ease.

    For the uninitiated, the Lost Experience follows a parallel storyline not featured in the television broadcast and is designed so that both fans of the series and those unfamiliar with the show can participate. The Experience provides insight to unlock some of the island’s secrets for those savvy enough to collect the clues, make the connections and find the answers.

    Although the Lost Experience is internet-based, participants should not assume that clues and story content will be limited to the online world. Any and every platform has the potential to contain hidden secrets. Given the different broadcast windows around the world, this challenge is designed in a manner that is not dependent on information specific to either Season One or Season Two, allowing those who have not yet seen either season of Lost to participate.

    Indian fans might be interested to know that the second season will see new characters coming in. Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), joins the cast as a resident of the island whose story is one of the mysteries that will be explored as the season progresses. In addition, one will discover that there are more previously unknown survivors of the crash of the ill fated flight 815 who all crashed in the tail section of the plane – Ana Lucia playde by Michelle Rodriguez who starred in the films Girlfight, The Fast and the Furious — the mysterious woman Jack met at the Sydney airport bar, Rose’s husband Bernard (Sam Anderson), Libby (Cynthia Watros)

    The most mysterious, and perhaps most important of all the new characters is Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), who begins the second season inside the hatch, explaining the importance of the button before taking off into the woods.

    The Lost Experience is a collaboration between the executive producers from Lost, ABC, Channel 4 in the UK and Channel 7 in Australia. Lost deals with the travails and experiences of a group of survivors from a plane crash.

    Talking about the online extension in the US, UK and Australia ABC senior VP marketing Mike Benson says, “The reward we’ve always promised from the Lost Experience is information, which is currency to anyone who is a fan of the show or a participant in this game.

    “This additional form of storytelling allows us to engage current and new fans in a genuinely innovative way while delivering the same extraordinary content that ‘Lost’ provides as a television series.”

    In India, the second season of Lost will air on Star Movies from 3 August at 9 pm.

  • Ric Bailey is the BBC’s new political adviser

    Ric Bailey is the BBC’s new political adviser

    MUMBAI: Ric Bailey has been appointed as the UK pubcaster BBC’s chief political adviser. He will leave his post as deputy head of political programmes to take over the role from David Jordan, who became BBC controller of editorial policy in December 2005.

    Bailey has been the executive editor for Question Time for the past six years, overseeing programmes such as the leaders’ election special and editions from China, Russia, the Middle East, the United States and across the UK.

    He also developed and led the Schools Question Time Challenge project, a citizenship initiative which saw the first member of the public on the panel of Question Time earlier this month.

  • 2929 Entertainment CEO Wagner in Mipcom’s keynote lineup

    2929 Entertainment CEO Wagner in Mipcom’s keynote lineup

    MUMBAI: The television event Mipcom, which takes place in Cannes, France in October has added 2929 Entertainment founder and CEO Todd Wagner to its roster of speakers.

    He will present the digital media distribution keynote Rethinking Hollywood on 10 October. 30 sessions presenting 100 speakers over four days will cover the key issues for TV and content industry professionals, from the Future of TV Commissioning to the Impact of User-Generated Content on the TV business.

    Wagner will share his vision of the future of the Hollywood film industry and discuss how his companies – which include 2929 Productions, Magnolia Pictures/Home Entertainment, Landmark Theatres, HDNet, HDNet Films and HDNet Movies – operate within and outside of the Hollywood system. Wagner’s work includes the collapsing of release windows, a leadership role in the development and roll-out of digital cinema, as well as a slate of critically lauded films such as Good Night and Good Luck and Akeelah and the Bee.

    The companies pioneering ‘day-and-date’ release strategy was successfully launched with the release of the Oscar nominated documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room in theatres and on TV on the same day last year and then again with the acclaimed Steven Soderbergh film Bubble earlier this year.

    Mipcom’s digital media distribution day will explore these new developments through a series of conferences that will kick off with Todd Wagner’s keynote and will be followed by a Superpanel exploring emerging opportunities for digital distribution business for film and television.

    Afternoon sessions will highlight the intricacies of internet movie distribution including business models and presentations from internet TV delivery market leaders.

    Mipcom’s Reshaping Media conferences will focus on four key areas of changing TV landscapes, namely Advertising and Programming, Digital Media Distribution, Mobile TV and User-Generated Content and the Impact of Social Networks.

    The week will feature 6 top keynotes, including Disney’s Anne Sweeney, MGM’s Harry Sloan, Orange’s Sanjiv Ahuja, NBC Universal’s Beth Comstock, and ESPN’s George Bodenheimer in addition to Todd Wagner.

  • E! Entertainment TV debut popular shows on iTunes

    E! Entertainment TV debut popular shows on iTunes

    MUMBAI: E! Entertainment and Apple have announced that hit programs from E! Entertainment Television are now available for purchase and download on the iTunes Music Store.

    New weekly episodes of the second season of hit series The Girls Next Door, which debuts 30 July on E!, The Soup, E!’s irreverent look at the week’s biggest, best and most bizarre moments and events in the world of pop culture, the new season of Dr. 90210, as well as all new episodes of The Simple Life: ‘Til Death Do Us Part starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie will be available the day after broadcast for customers to purchase and download for just $1.99 per episode.

    “This new partnership underscores our commitment to our E! Everywhere initiative, making E! content available to viewers on multiple platforms and on demand,” says president and CEO of E! Entertainment Ted Harbert. “We’re delighted to pursue this new programming opportunity with iTunes, allowing us to further expand the E! brand and reach even more entertainment fans.”

    “We’re thrilled to expand our growing video catalog with this original content from E! Entertainment Television,” says Apple’s vice president of iTunes Eddy Cue. “With over 35 million videos sold, iTunes provides the best way for fans to discover, purchase and download video online.”

    Season two of The Girls Next Door debuts on E! on 30 July, taking viewers beyond the gates and behind closed doors to reveal the world of Hugh Hefner and his three girlfriends Holly, Bridget and Kendra. The premiere episode will also be available to purchase and download on iTunes on July 31. The Simple Life: Til Death Do Us Part follows the lives of Paris and Nicole as they undergo a crash course in marriage and motherhood, while Dr. 90210 takes viewers inside the offices and homes of high profile Beverly Hills plastic surgeons.

    Past season episodes of The Simple Life, The Girls Next Door and Dr. 90210 are also immediately available for purchase and download, states an official release.

    With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated video and podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and groundbreaking personal use rights, the iTunes Music Store is the best way for Macand PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and videos online. The iTunes Music Store features a selection of over 9,000 music videos, Pixar and Disney short films, a variety of hit TV shows, and more than three million songs from the major music companies and over 1,000 independent labels, the release adds.

  • Landmark rolls out national expansion plans

    Mumbai, April 13, 2006: Landmark, the largest book and music retailer in India today announced the launch of its first store in Mumbai, which will kickstart the company’s national roll out plan. The Mumbai store, which marks its foray into the western region, is located at Infiniti Mall, Andheri. With this launch, Landmark will now be present in Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai.

    Spread across 18,500 sq. ft, the new Landmark store in Mumbai will offer a wide range of books, music, movies, stationery, gifts, toys and accessories amongst others. The undisputed leader in the book and music category, Landmark boasts of an exhaustive range of over 1,00,000 titles in books and music alone. With superior customer service and value pricing coupled with an inviting and comfortable environment, Landmark is all set to become the preferred destination for book and music lovers in Mumbai.

    Announcing Landmark’s foray into Mumbai, Ms. Hemu Ramaiah, CEO, Landmark said, “Landmark aims to be a point of cultural and social interaction, where authors, poets and musicians will hold court. For us, Landmark goes beyond business…the product mix ensures a platform for intellectual entertainment.”

    Adds Mr. Himanshu Chakrawarti, COO Landmark,”We are delighted to kick off our national expansion with the first store in Mumbai. Andheri is a very vibrant market and we expect the Landmark experience to make an impact with the evolved customers in this part of the city. Whether it is the depth of our collection or the nature of initiatives that we bring to our customers, Landmark will soon create a brand new experience in book and music retailing across the country.”

    Landmark today has the distinction of pioneering a number of innovations and has always been the first to adopt technology, thereby enhancing customer experience at the store and also provide substantial efficiencies at the back end.

    Landmark enjoys the distinction of being the first:

    Large format book retailer in India
    Integrated Online Retail Store chain in India.
    Retailer to introduce the concept of E-tailing
    Retailer in Asia to be Accredited ISO 9002 and was also awarded British European and International Standard certification BSEN ISO 9002-recognition of Service & Quality

    Launched in Chennai in 1987 Landmark has over the past 19 years nurtured and built its stores on the foundation of providing customers the widest choice and a great overall experience in its stores. In August 2005, Trent Limited acquired a 76% strategic interest in Landmark and its subsidiary firms for a consideration of Rs.103.6 crores.

    For further Information, please contact:
    Shiraz Bhavnani / Poonam Nikam
    Vaishnavi Corporate Communications
    Tel: 022-5656 8787 / 5656 8715
    Fax: 5656 8788