ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • CBS Corp to sell Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair for $1.24 billion

    CBS Corp to sell Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair for $1.24 billion

    MUMBAI: CBS Corporation will be selling its Paramount Parks operation to Cedar Fair, L.P. for $1.24 billion in cash. The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory and other approvals, and is expected to close during the third quarter.

    The company announced its intention to divest Paramount Parks on 26 January.
    “We’re very pleased with the value we received from the sale of this terrific asset. I want to thank the management and employees of Paramount Parks for their contributions to the parks division and to CBS Corporation,” said CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves.
    Commenting on the new deal, Cedar Fair LP chairman, president and CEO Dick Kinzel said, “The five properties we are acquiring fit very well with our existing parks and there is very little overlap.”

    The company said that, the combined operations will generate almost $1 billion in annual revenue from about 25 million customers.

    CBS, which inherited the theme-parks after splitting from parent Viacom Inc. in December, said that it would sell the resorts because they did not fit with its broadcasting focus. This acquisition however, will boost Cedar Fair to become one of the world’s largest regional amusement park operators. Paramount Parks will remain in full operation throughout the divestiture process, informs an official release.

    Paramount Parks’ assets include Great America, Carowinds, Kings Island, Kings Dominion and Canada’s Wonderland.

  • Prasar Bharati financial rejig awaits GoM nod

    Prasar Bharati financial rejig awaits GoM nod

    NEW DELHI: A group of ministers (GoM) looking into a possible financial restructuring of pubcaster Prasar Bharati to boost its revenue generation capacity has said no final decision has been taken on various options.

    On Thursday, Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio, made a presentation to the GoM highlighting its plus and negative points, including possible ways to augment revenue generation that is lagging far behind annual expenses incurred.

    While confirming that a presentation was made to the GoM, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com that it was made clear to him that the ministers would look into the issue before taking the package to the Cabinet for a final approval. Sarma added amongst the many options presented before the GoM were levying a one-time cess on TV and radio sets in the country and tapping the capital market.

    These options, Sarma said, were in line with a report prepared by a panel, headed by information and broadcasting secretary, set up to look into the financial restructuring. The report is now being studied by the GoM.

    Asked whether the GoM and then the government are likely to okay the financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati during his tenure, which ends 30 June 2006, Sarma replied in the negative, hinting that the issue is likely to take more time.

    Amongst the options, as has been reported by indiantelevision.com last year, is also one that envisages the government holding equity in the pubcaster against assets, which will facilitate a capital restructuring of the financially beleaguered Prasar Bharati or Broadcasting Corporation of India.

    A government official added that media reports on financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati were “premature.”

    In the meanwhile, reports on levying a cess on TV and radio sets to give a fillip to Prasar Bharati revenue has almost set the cat the pigeon with stiff opposition coming from consumer electronics manufacturers.

    However, present I&B minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi’s predecessor Jaipal Reddy had been against levying a cess on TV and radio sets. His justification: the cost of collecting this cess from all over the country would be more than the actual amount collected.

    British broadcaster BBC is partly funded through this mode where Englanders pay a nominal amount at the time of buying of a TV or radio set. A recent proposal of the Tony Blair government to hike this amount has been widely resisted British citizens.

  • Manic Monday: Media scrips join Sensex free fall

    Manic Monday: Media scrips join Sensex free fall

    MUMBAI: It was truly a Manic Monday for Dalal Street. For the second time in the indices’ history (the first being on 17 May, 2004), trading was suspended at the BSE this morning. The Sensex fell by a whopping 1111.70 points in the morning trade below 10,000 to settle at 9,826.91.

    However, it recovered substantially to close at 10,482 down 457 points. The NSE Nifty, on the other hand, closed at 3081 down 166 points. Media stocks, like the predominant market sentiment, were on a downslide.

    In order to avoid pandemonium in the market, Sebi chief M Damodaran asked people not to go by rumours but to take informed decisions. According to him, Sebi was in touch with the RBI and there were no liquidity problems.

    Among the entertainment and media stocks, one company that managed to beat the heat on the bourses was Times Group company Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which operates the Radio Mirchi brand. The company’s stocks opened at Rs 239.85 and closed higher at Rs 241.10, thus registering a marginal gain of 0.63 per cent.

    The biggest loser today was Prannoy Roy’s NDTV Ltd. The stocks of NDTV opened at Rs 220 today and closed at Rs 190, weaker by 13.64 per cent. Mid-Day Multimedia, on the other hand, recorded a drop of 11.82 per cent and closed at Rs 61.15 (previous close Rs 69.35).

    Pritish Nandy Communications shed 10.14 per cent to close at Rs 45.65 from its previous close of Rs 50.80. Hinduja TMT; which on Friday 19 May took the deepest plunge, going down by Rs 48.30 to close at Rs Rs 701.75; today dropped 3.10 per cent to close at Rs 680.

    Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd and BAG Films both shed around eight per cent in today’s bloodbath. TV Today Network was weaker by 7.76 per cent to close at Rs 81.45 at the end of the day’s trade. K Sera Sera also lost 7.45 per cent and ended the day at Rs 36.05. Television Eighteen shed 5.18 per cent (down Rs 32.95 from yesterday closing at Rs 603.20).

    Company
    Last Traded Price
    Previous close
    Change
    Per cent change
    Adlabs Films
    Rs 267.30
    Rs 271.45
    Rs -4.15
    -1.53
    BAG Films
    Rs 9.63
    Rs 10.54
    Rs -0.91
    -8.63
    Balaji Telefilms
    Rs 139.95
    Rs 147.00
    Rs -7.05
    -4.80
    Cinevistaas
    Rs 21.45
    Rs 22.55
    Rs -1.10
    -4.88
    ENIL
    Rs 241.10
    Rs 239.60
    Rs 1.50
    0.63
    ETC Networks
    Rs 37.65
    Rs 38.50
    Rs -0.85
    -2.21
    Galaxy Ent
    Rs 251.15
    Rs 260.95
    Rs -9.80
    -3.76
    Gemini Comm
    Rs 420.00
    Rs 433.30
    Rs -13.30
    -3.07
    Hinduja TMT
    Rs 680.00
    Rs 701.75
    Rs -21.75
    -3.10
    Jain Studios
    Rs 27.60
    Rs 29.00
    Rs -1.40
    -4.83
    K Sera Sera
    Rs 36.05
    Rs 38.95
    Rs -2.90
    -7.45
    Mid-Day Multimedia
    Rs 61.15
    Rs 69.35
    Rs -8.20
    -11.82
    Mukta Arts
    Rs 42.95
    Rs 45.20
    Rs -2.25
    -4.98
    NDTV Ltd
    Rs 190.00
    Rs 220.00
    Rs -30.00
    -13.64
    Pritish Nandy
    Rs 45.65
    Rs 50.80
    Rs -5.15
    -10.14
    Sahara One Media
    Rs 324.00
    Rs 354.00
    Rs -30.00
    -8.47
    Saregama
    Rs 241.65
    Rs 254.05
    Rs -12.40
    -4.88
    Sun TV
    Rs 1159.55
    Rs 1192.35
    Rs -32.80
    -2.75
    TV Eighteen
    Rs 603.20
    Rs 636.15
    Rs -32.95
    5.18
    TV Today
    Rs 81.45
    Rs 88.30
    Rs -6.85
    -7.76
    UTV
    Rs 176.00
    Rs 183.55
    Rs -7.55
    -4.11
    Zee Telefilms
    Rs 228.20
    Rs 229.60
    Rs -1.40
    -0.61

    In the vicinity of the one – five per cent loss incurred by companies were the likes of Mukta Arts (-4.98 per cent), Cinevistaas (-4.88 per cent), Saregama (-4.88 per cent), Balaji Telefilms (-4.80 per cent), Jain Studios (-4.83 per cent), UTV (-4.11 per cent), Sun TV (-2.75 per cent), ETC Networks (-2.21 per cent), Adlabs Films (-1.53 per cent).

    Media major Zee Telefilms had a relatively quiet day at the bourses, closing at Rs 228.20 down a minimal -0.61 per cent from yesterday’s last traded price of Rs 229.60. On the Nifty, meanwhile, Zee ended the day at Rs 227.40, down 1.22 per cent from yesterday’s close of Rs 230.20.

    The big question on every market punter’s mind at the moment seems of course to be just how low will low go. When will the “market correction” bottom out is something no one seems to be able to hazard a guess on currently.

  • Star kickstarts triple play mission with 7827 expansion

    Star kickstarts triple play mission with 7827 expansion

    MUMBAI: Star India is beefing up its “response mechanism”, 7827 – the short code – to explore the burgeoning mobile entertainment market in the country.

    Starting today, the website www.star7827.com will sport a new look as Star expands the 7827 services from television-focused interactivity to entertainment, specially created and aggregated for the mobile screen.

    In another major foray, Star India will launch a dedicated multi-lingual mobile audio channel, Star Voice in July. The mobile-based interactive voice system will offer consumers entertainment and other personalised updates.

    “We would like to be the first player going at the property,” says Star Entertainment India CEO Sameer Nair indicating the growth plans Star India has conceived to tap the mobile entertainment sector. “Star 7827 will be one of the key focus areas of our business and is expected to contribute significantly to our revenues over the next three to five years. Our proven programming and marketing abilities should ensure that we become one of the key players in this space.”

    “Since the last three years, we had been doing a detailed study on the subject and the expansion of the short code 7827 is one of the results,” says Star senior VP, Interactive Services, Viren Popli.

    As part of the revamping, www.star7827.com has been completely redesigned to reflect the new push in content aggregation. A special section to help visitors learn more about their phones, talk about mobile content and services as exchange views and experiences has also been created. In accordance with the 7827 revamp, a WAP site for mobile internet users has also been created from where visitors will soon be able to access a range of mobile content including videos.

    When queried on Star’s strategies to explore the segment, Nair said it was a learning process which still continue. “We have more questions than answers. These are early days and we are looking at a difficult and different market. We will continue pushing our television content on the mobile platform. We will have variations as it progresses. Once we start producing separate content for the mobile platform, we will definitely switch to a subscription model,” says Nair.

    “As the first step towards creating properties in-house, Star will be unveiling a game on its popular Channel [V] character Chimpu,” adds Popli.

    The revamped 7827 will offer community based content services: personalised products such as ring tones, wallpapers; entertainment products in the range of games, video and audio; information products like news, astrology and jokes. The cost of downloading games from the website will range from Rs 3 to Rs 350, while other services such as ring tones and wallpapers will be available in the range of Rs 3 to Rs 6.

    Speaking on Star’s association with digital content producers and its plans to accomplish self-sufficiency on this front, Nair said the company was looking to associate with as many companies as possible. “We want to do the products of our own. But, even then, we will be keeping these producers in the loop. We want to rope in as many partners as possible. This is a give and take process as we can learn new things out of our associations,” he says.

    Star 7827 in its new avatar will be creating, distributing and marketing content through tie-ups with Indian and International companies. “We will be taking the platform abroad. We are in talks with various international companies for technology and other solutions,” says Popli.

    Star India has also finalised a major publicity overdrive to promote the new initiative. The first set of creatives, promoting 7827 breaks across media platforms today. The company has also entered into a product placement arrangement with cell phone manufacturer Motorola for the promotions. As per the deal, the 7827 promotional creatives will be sporting a Motorola branded cellular phone.

  • Star Movies gets caught in ‘The Triangle’ over the weekend

    Star Movies gets caught in ‘The Triangle’ over the weekend

    MUMBAI: English movie channel Star Movies will air a three part sci-fi adventure mini series The Triangle this weekend.

    The show will air from 2 to 4 June at 9 pm.

    The six hour hour mini-series focuses on a disparate group of professionals, who investigate the dangerous truth behind one of the greatest legends of our time, the Bermuda Triangle.

    The series has been executive produced by Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns) and Dean Devlin (Independence Day). The show stars Eric Stoltz Catherine Bell, Michael Rodgers, Bruce Davison, Lou Diamond Phillips and Sam Neill.

    With his crews and cargo ships disappearing at an alarming rate around the Bermuda Triangle, a billionaire, Eric Benirall (Neill) hires a crew full of specialists to understand why. Hand picked by the man himself, the crew consists of a skeptical tabloid journalist Howard Thomas (Stoltz), ocean resource engineer Emily Patterson (Bell), scientist/adventurer Bruce Gellar (Rodgers) and psychic Stan Latham (Davison).

    Pulled together with the promise of unlimited funding for their research and the chance for once-in-a-lifetime riches, the team sets out to solve this most daunting of anomalies. When a jetliner disappears over the Triangle, bizarre, unexplainable occurrences begin to affect each member of Benirall’s team.

    When the government takes an alarming interest in their work, the crew is drawn into something far more dangerous than they had believed possible. A research expedition with the promise of riches soon becomes a frantic, head-turning ride through the unstoppable force, that is, the Triangle.

  • Sarma retires in June; govt. yet to move on replacement

    Sarma retires in June; govt. yet to move on replacement

    NEW DELHI: Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati would soon be headless unless the government, too busy with other issues like reservation for backward classes in educational institutions, hurries up.

    On 30 June 2006, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma retires after serving an over five-year term that can be easily termed a roller-coaster ride.

    Following Sarma to the revolving door – sooner rather than later – is director-general of Doordarshan Navin Kumar whose term as a bureaucrat in Delhi ends in August. After that he has to revert to his parent state of Bihar.

    Kumar was appointed as the DG of Doordarshan in February of 2005. Prasar Bharati, an autonomous organization, manages pubcasters DD and All India Radio.

    While the CEO of Prasar Bharati is selected by a three-member panel headed by the vice-president of India, the DG is shortlisted by the board of Prasar Bharati that includes the chief executive and chairman.

    The present chairman of Prasar Bharati, veteran journalist MV Kamath, was appointed during the tenure of previous government, headed by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.
    Prasar Bharati sources said that apart from Sarma and Kumar, there were several other senior officials who are on their way out and would have to be replaced.

    Meanwhile Sarma, a veteran of Prasar Bharati (he officiated as the DG of Doordarshan when he was a joint secretary in the I&B ministry in the mid to late 1990s) has seen over five ministers at the information and broadcasting ministry, which controls the purse strings for the publicly funded Prasar Bharati.

    Despite allegations of nepotism during a time when DD used to outsource marketing of big events, including the money-spinning cricket matches involving India, a wily Sarma has come out unscathed.

    It was during Sarma’s tenure as the CEO that DD floated its subscription-free DTH service, which raced ahead of the country’s first pay TV DTH service, Dish TV, in terms of subscribers.

    For the financial year ended march 2006, for the first time Prasar Bharati clocked a gross revenue of Rs 12.38 billion with Doordarshan clocking Rs 9.68 billion and All India Radio 2.7 billion that signified a growth of 67.67 per cent.

    Some of the achievements during Sarma’s tenure included the following:

    1. Increased focus on pro-active in house marketing of properties.
    2. Successful execution of media campaigns on behalf of government departments.
    3. Rationalization of rate cards to suit the changing market conditions.
    4. A strategic shift from Sponsored Programmes to Self Financing Scheme.
    5. Introduction of blockbuster Hindi Feature Films on DD National and marketing them in-house.
    6. Leveraging AIR’s vast network and unprecedented reach.
    7. Narrowcasting programming strategy.
    8. Publicity support for programmes to create awareness, especially among C & S audience.
    9. Improved billing and housekeeping efforts.

  • Intel Capital exteds Wimax investments worldwide

    Intel Capital exteds Wimax investments worldwide

    BANGALORE: Intel Capital, the venture capital investment arm of Intel Corporation, announced new Wimax (Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access) investments today in Orascom Telecom Wimax Limited. Both deals underscore Intel Capital’s continuing support for the deployment of low cost broadband internet access through Wimax networks around the world.

    Orascom Telecom Wimax Limited is also the first investment from the Intel Capital Middle East and Turkey fund announced in November of 2005.

    Both deals are collaborations between Intel Capital and established telecommunications companies which will bring significant experience of network deployment, marketing and operations to the newly formed joint ventures. Orascom Telecom Wimax Limited will focus its efforts on working with governments and companies throughout the Middle East and parts of Asia to obtain suitable spectrum licenses for the deployment of Wimax services.

    Enertel Wimax N.V. is targeting the deployment of Wimax services in the Netherlands. In addition to funding and personnel, Enertel is also contributing an existing 3.5 GHz spectrum license to support this new joint venture.

    Both new companies will be majority owned by Orascom Telecom and Enertel respectively, with Intel Capital as the lead investor. Intel Capital will also provide access to the significant technical and marketing resources of Intel Corporation.

    “Intel Capital is a leader in promoting the deployment of low cost Wimax based internet access” said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital. “These latest agreements build on the foundation of existing Intel Capital investments to bring the benefits of low cost, high bandwidth internet access to consumers around the world and support the vision of a World Ahead that Intel CEO Paul Otellini outlined earlier this month at the World Congress on Information Technology”

    Over the past year, Intel Capital has announced investments in a number of Wimax and wireless broadband service providers around the world including: PIPEX Wireless in the UK, DBD in Germany, Unwired Australia, Neovia in Brazil, and MVSNet in Mexico. Intel Capital has also been active in supporting Wimax infrastructure through investments in Navini, a provider of Wimax base stations and modems and Beceem, a provider of mobile Wimax chipsets.

    “We see the creation of this new wireless service provider as an incredible opportunity to provide new services to major cities in the Netherlands,” says Enertel executive chairman Cees Meeuwis. “Enertel Wimax N.V.will offer wireless access and services through a wholesale relationship with a number of resale channels. This wireless broadband access service will uniquely complement the existing fixed line Broadband Access services already offered in the Netherlands.”

    “Orascom Telecom Wimax Limited is an exciting first step towards bringing the advantages and opportunity of internet connectivity to the people of the Middle East, and beyond, many of whom have never had such an opportunity before” says Orascom CEO Franco Grimaldi. “Together with Intel Capital, we will work closely with governments and companies in the Middle East and Asia to make this vision a reality.”

  • Fremantle scoops Hew Award for ‘Punk:Attitude’

    Fremantle scoops Hew Award for ‘Punk:Attitude’

    MUMBAI: Fremantle Home Entertainment (FHE), the home entertainment division of FremantleMedia, has scooped an award for the 2005 feature length film Punk:Attitude.

    FHE walked away with the award for Best Music and Stage Show at the Home Entertainment Week (HEW) Awards of Excellence 2006 held in London, beating competing nominees Jerry Springer: The Opera (Pathe) and Concert of Bangladesh (Warner Vision). Punk:Attitude was also highly commended in this year’s Best Extras category.

    Punk:Attitude is a 90 minute Don Letts Film, which documents how the punk revolution ignited onto the streets of London and New York in the mid 1970’s. It portrays how classic teenage rebellion, combined with the musical and social environment of the time, created the punk movement, as well as how its unique identity of independence and D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) ideology has continued to define youth culture. The movie takes a highly original look at this movement and has sold-out to rapturous audiences at both the Tribeca Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival in 2005.

    It is distributed internationally by FHE and is available on double disk DVD, which features over two hours of extras including featurettes on women in punk, fashion, fanzines, record companies and much more. The set also comes complete with a replica of Sniffin Glue magazine.

  • FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID), the distribution arm of FremantleMedia, announced a raft of recent sales in the Latin American region as it kicks off its LA Screenings campaign.

    FID vice president sales and development, Latin America and Hispanic USA Sheila Aguirre brokered the deals with a number of key broadcasters in the region.

    Discovery (People & Arts) acquired season four of Mark Burnett’s The Apprentice, which tests competitors’ survival techniques in New York City’s corporate jungle as the candidates face weekly business challenges and strive to reach the top. The winning candidate is awarded an apprenticeship with top tycoon Donald Trump. Discovery (People & Arts) also picked up the new series of Project Runway, the reality fashion hit hosted by Heidi Klum in which talented fashion designers get the opportunity to show their designs in front of the global fashion community in New York and displayed in the pages of Elle magazine.

    As the FIFA World Cup draws ever closer, football fever continues to grip the world and viewers in Colombia and Brazil will soon be able to learn about the History of Football: The Beautiful Game (13 x 1 hour), to be broadcast on Colombia City TV and TV Cultura in Brazil. Narrated by Terrance Stamp, this series tells the definitive story of the game that generates more excitement, passion and wealth across the world than any other sport.

    The History Channel signed a deal for a package of five key factual documentaries, including Holy Warriors (2 x 1 hour), which documents the struggle between the English King Richard the Lionheart and the Muslim leader Saladin for control of Jerusalem.

    In The Real Face of Santa (1 x 1 hour) Dr Franco Introna delves into the history of Santa Claus to discover the real story of St Nicholas. Although the image of Santa as an old man with a white beard is recognised all over the world, the truth is much stranger. Combining facial reconstruction technology with top secret Vatican documents, Dr Introna and his team unravel the mystery of St Nicholas.

    Catherine The Great (2 x 1 hour) also goes to the History Channel. The life of one of Russia’s brilliant rulers is the subject of this drama documentary, telling the story of Catherine’s reign, and how she strove to modernise Russia, with new ideas on health and education and waged wars in her ruthless quest for expansion. Catherine The Great brings to life one of history’s most powerful and passionate women.

    In The Story of 1 (1 x 1 hour) Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) goes on a humour filled journey to discover what tale lies behind the simplest number we have. Using computer graphics, ‘one’ is brought to life for the programme, in its various guises. The story reveals where our modern numbers came from and how the invention of zero saved us from having to use Roman numerals today.

    Rounding out the History Channel’s package is Khubilai Khan’s Lost Fleet (1 x 1 hour). Marine archaeologist Kenzo Hayashida’s discovery of a ship from a Mongol fleet that sank in 1281 AD, leads to new insights into the empire of Khubilai Khan. This documentary sheds light on the mystery of the fleet that sank on its way to fight the Japanese samurai.

    In further agreements, viewers of GloboSat in Brazil and Cosmopolitan Television Latin America will soon see Godiva’s (19 x 1 hour), where the high-pressure, fast-paced world of the restaurant business is revealed, as are the equally entwined private lives of the young, urban tribesters who populate it.

    In a final deal, the first of its kind as brokered by FID, Canal 10 in Uruguay has signed a format deal to produce 13 episodes of Distraction locally. The gameshow, created by FremantleMedia’s talkbackThames, combines ridiculously simple trivia questions with hilarious concentration-breakers and will be produced by Canal 10.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said, “The breadth of the deals closed in the Latin American market by Sheila Aguirre provide a very positive note on which to enter the LA Screenings, and certainly bode well for a successful market ahead.”

  • Cannes Diary: Adlabs lounge gives indies a leg up

    Cannes Diary: Adlabs lounge gives indies a leg up

    CANNES: The Adlabs Indpendent Producers Lounge is proving to be a hit of sorts. Located in the basement of the Palais des Festivals, it has been a busy spot with almost anyone interested in Indian films dropping in over there from whichever country in the world.

    The booth, manned by AdLabs Films boss Sunir Khetrapal, has Aditya Bhattacharrya steering it most of the time. Other individuals using it quite frequently include: Grey Cells Entertainment’s copromoter Rashmi, Ruchi Narain, Amit Khanna, Sudhir Mishra.

    The stand is also being used to promote the Filmkraft new production Krishh. In a big way.
    Dharma disappointed, Johar pushes hard

    The team Dharma Productions distribution team of Vishal Patel and Cherian expressed disappointment at the way the market has been proceeding. “There have been very few footfalls,” says Cherian. “We expect an improvement by tomorrow.”

    The big title being promoted at the stand is Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.

    Karan Johar spent many a hour at the stand today. The Johar box office magic may rub off on Dharma’s Cannes performance as well.
    Indian unity shows up at Cannes

    What is amazing about this Cannes festival is how the independents have been propping up each other. The Adlabs stand has brochures and promotional materials from almost every Indian film maker in the Palais. Handmade Films’ Sunil Doshi who has a stand in a prime location in the Palais des Festivals basement even lent a hand to the indies by stocking their promotional literature at his stand. A pat in the back for the indie Indians. In fact, a bash for the indies was planned for the evening at the Irish Quays pub.