ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • News Corp’s Fox gets license in Serbia

    News Corp’s Fox gets license in Serbia

    MUMBAI: Media conglomerate News Corporation has announced that its venture Fox Televizija formed in cooperation with partners in Serbia, has been awarded a national television license in the Republic of Serbia, the larger of the two republics that comprise the country of Serbia and Montenegro.

    News Corp. along with its Serbian partners participated in a public tender process that was launched earlier this year by Serbia’s Republic Broadcasting Agency. The Broadcasting Agency’s Council announced the results of the tender process a few days ago.

    News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, “Serbia’s tender process for the national television licenses was professionally managed from start to finish. This has been one of the most expertly managed international competitive tenders for a national television license in which News Corp. has participated. The Republic Broadcasting Agency should be commended for the fair and transparent process.”

    News Corp. and its partners have committed to providing high-quality entertainment and information programming. News Corp. and Fox Televizija will also direct considerable resources into the production of original programming in Serbia. News Corp. will immediately begin the roll-out of the Fox Televizija operation under the management of Mr. Dan Bates, an experienced international television executive.

    News Corp’s investment in Serbia builds on the company’s successful European television business highlighted by the highly profitable television station, bTV, in Bulgaria.

    News Corp. Europe’s chairman Martin Pompadur said, “Together with our Serbian partners, we are committed to bringing all of the resources necessary to develop a top quality television station. News Corp. will aim to be a valued member of Serbia’s business and media communities.”

  • Starcom Worldwide North India & Pakistan MD Anita Nayyar

    Starcom Worldwide North India & Pakistan MD Anita Nayyar

    From a media executive at Interpublicity Pvt Ltd in 1983 to the managing director North India and Pakistan of Starcom Worldwide, Anita Nayyar has come a long way in her career spanning 23 years.

    Based in Delhi, Anita has also had stints with organizations like Sista’s (now Saatchi & Saatchi), Frank Simoes Advertising (now F S Advertising), O&M (now Ogilvy/Group M), Initiative Media, MediaCom and Optimum Media Solutions.

    With an academic background in medicine, she plunged into the media business in 1983 and since then there has been no looking back. “It is always interesting to take on new challenges. I have in effect done that in all of 22 years of my media career. Moving earlier in life from a medical background in academics to advertising and marketing was a huge challenge in itself and I think I’ve taken it on rather well,” says the serene lady.

    If one were to list out the brands that she has handled in her career, it would surely take up most part of this page. From durables, automobiles, engine oils, mobile phones, cosmetics, fast food to digestives, baby food, beverages, credit cards and political parties, there is not one sector that has been untouched by her.

    Anita played a small but significant role on the changing the government at the center by focused targeting both at the consumer and regions/constituency level for the “Aam Aadmi” campaign for the Congress Party. That it is the Congress’ ‘Aam Aadmi’ the Centre and not the BJP’s ‘India Shining’ (managed by Grey Worldwide) says it all. “The aim was to maximize the media impact of each rupee for Congress campaign in May 2004 and we succeeded in giving the “India Shining Campaign” of the then ruling BJP a run for its money, and that too with one fourth of its spends,” says she.

    She has also been responsible for setting up the outdoor (now Landscapes) and electronic cell – at Ogilvy & Mather Delhi during her 5 year stint with the agency in the early nineties. Known for striking the best deals in the market place and also as an ROI (return on investment) sensitive professional, Anita was also at the helm of structuring and systemizing media services at Initiative Media, MediaCom, Mudra and Starcom.

    Under her leadership the Starcom Worldwide Delhi operations have grown by 147 per cent in year one and 50 per cent in year two.

    So what’s on her agenda now? “Working for Starcom it’s but obvious that the agency agenda will be top priority. Growth is a given however, at Starcom, our holistic approach to media is key. The people internally have also been trained accordingly to look at clients issues and find the best possible solution to it rather than taking a mainstream media approach and push TV/print plans down their throats,” Anita says.

    Challenges is what makes this lady tick and one of the things on her priority list was to develop the Pakistan market for Starcom, where the agency’s launch is slated shortly. “Right now, we are in the final stages for setting up the Starcom brand in Karachi, Pakistan. The exercise entailed sourcing, interacting and negotiating with various media services agencies in Pakistan,” she offers.

    For the clients she has worked for in various sectors, Anita is known for introducing the advantages of the concept of media consolidation to GPI, Maruti, LG, Sony and Yamaha.

    Anita is of the opinion that the television industry, which is growing at a slow pace now unlike the boom years, will pick up “because of its attributes being the medium it is.”

    “While media consolidation is key to our business and the clients are the chief beneficiaries, it’s also important to ensure brand accountability. Like in case of full service clients, it is important for both media and creative to be brand custodians so that there is accountability on a brand and everything is being done in the interest of the brand/marketer,” says she.

    This straight forward, no-nonsense woman firmly believes in working on her weaknesses to convert them into strengths. Her family is her biggest support today. Her two daughters and an extremely loving, supportive and understanding husband are what keeps her going in this overtly competitive industry.

    And if you thought that it was just media planning and buying that she was involved in, think again. Anita is a guest faculty at various management institutes like MICA, Amity School of Communication, College of Media and Communication at Rai Foundation and also the Delhi School of Communication.

    On being queried as to which of her qualities helped her being in the position she is today, she says, “I have always put in my best efforts and have had a very focused approach. From being in implementation when I started in 1983 and when media planning was just about seeing the light, to have learned and moved on from there, I think one has come a long way. I could have just been restricted to implementation but have taken up all the challenges in life and given it my best.”

     

  • BBC’s new comedy makes viewers ‘Feel The Force’

    BBC’s new comedy makes viewers ‘Feel The Force’

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has announced that it will air a six part comedy series on the police force called Feel The Force from next month. This will air on BBC Two.

    Sally Bobbins (Michelle Gomez) and Sally Frank (Rosie Cavaliero) are two policewomen. They are the Cagney & Lacey for the 21st century, but with worse hairstyles. They are Dalziel and Pascoe, but with sillier surnames. Their boss is Sergeant Beasley (Leigh Zimmerman), a tall and terrifying woman who finds Frank and Bobbins a constant source of irritation.

    Their intentions may be good, but they are too easily distracted, as well as being accident-prone. Add to this Frank’s unrequited love for fellow officer PC MacBean and MacBean’s secret passion for his partner PC MacGregor, and it’s not difficult to see why our heroes have so little time for stamping out crime

  • Aeren R Enterprises unveils India’s First Theme Destination Mall

    Aeren R Enterprises unveils India’s First Theme Destination Mall

    New Delhi, April 21, 2006
    Rs 250 Cr.Festival City project, Festival city to be Punjab’s biggest mall

    India’s first theme destination mall to be designed around Essence
    of Indian Festivals. “Malls within a Mall” with Kidz Mall, Fashion Mall, Interior Mall, food court, entertainment plaza and a luxury hotel.

    Punjab’s first IMAX Theatre with seven screen multiplex. Punjab’s first ice skating ring, Gaming zone, a bowling alley, a video arcade, a Gyro drop

    With so many firsts in its credit the Aeren R Enterprises is proud to unveil Festival City, Punjab’s first theme destination mall offering a truly international retail, entertainment and leisure experience for the entire family at an investment of Rs 250 Cr. The Festival City is a salute to the big -heartedness and the dynamic spirit of the people of Punjab.

    Located in the prosperous industrial city of Ludhiana, Festival City is easily accessible to the people of Ludhiana and affluent visitors from Phagwara, Jalandhar, Moga, Khanna, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ambala and the entire Doaba and Malwa area. Festival City is ideally located as a family destination for shopping, entertainment and leisure activity for the entire
    region.

    The Festival City mega structure is planned over 2.0 million square feet of covered area as an integrated commercial development. At the heart of the structure is a grand visually spectacular atrium that reinforces the impression of vast open spaces and imparts a feeling of grandiose and unmatched architectural scale. The activity area in the center is ideally suited to host mega events like car launches and fashion shows.

    The sheer size and scale positions Festival City as the BIG ONE among all planned and existing shopping malls in Ludhiana, based on the principle of – “Malls within a Mall” – the latest concept in shopping mall development.

    Speaking on the occasion Dr Rajesh Aeren, Vice Chairman, Supervisory Board Aeren R Enterprises said “Growing prosperity (GDP & per capita income), increasing levels of affluence and improving lifestyles are fueling the demand for lifestyle products, leisure and entertainment activities”

    “The concept of Mall within Malls will be introduced in Ludhiana for the first time. The 300000 sq ft dedicated to the Interiorz Mall – a one stop shop to meet all your home and office improvement needs is a great example of a Mall within a Mall. Other Specialty Malls like the Kids, Lifestyle, Fashion, Hospitality, Entertainment and Leisure Malls are an integral part of the development”. Dr. Aeren further added

    While addressing the media Mr. Sujit Kumar, CEO, Aeren R Enterprises said , “Ludhiana being one of the fastest growing city in India with rise of 82% in food & 87% in non food retail business in last few years and Income to expenditure ratio is expected to increase from 40% to 50% by 2020 which makes Ludhiana as most favoured destination for retail and entertainment business.”

    He further added that “We are pleased to announce that IMAX, Fun Cinemas, Shopper’s Stop, Hyper City, Home Stop, Pantaloons, E- Zone, Chun Mun Store, Kapsons, Provogue, Odyssey, Music World, The Home Store, Adidas, Archies Bossini, Disney Jeans, FI, Kappa, Lee Copper, Lilliput, Mufti, Nike, Numero Uno, Portland, Reebok, Shoe Tree, Sports Station, Titan, Woodlands have all signed up and over 50% of the leasing is already over.

    “The launch of the IMAX theatre, the inclusion of an ice skating rink, an international quality food court and focus on leisure and entertainment activities further reinforce our aim to bring wholesome family entertainment based on world class technology and knowledge to meet the growing aspirations of our children and youth. These unique features will add significant value to the quality retailers housed in this destination mall”. Mr. Kumar further added.

    Festival City, designed by Ms. RTKL of London, a leading international architecture and design firm with commercially successful retail and entertainment landmarks like the LaQua at Tokyo, The Entertainment Center at lrvine spectrum, California; The O2, London; and Lalaport Shopping center, Tokyo to their credit.

    The design and architecture of the Festival City is based on the fundamental principle of delivering a unique retail, entertainment and leisure
    experience.

    Stress free shopping with conveniently placed sit downs on every floor and high speed elevators, escalators and travellators linking each floor.

    Ample multiple level parking allows convenient access to different shopping, leisure and entertainment areas.

    Environmentally friendly design with large open to sky spaces, landscaped greens with water bodies and fountains, for a controlled microclimate and dust control regime.

    Friendly and safe for kids, the elderly and the differently abled. Design features include ramps for wheel chair, specially designated parking areas, specially designed rest room facilities including services of trained medical staff.

    About Aeren R Enterprises :
    Promoted by Dr. Rajesh J Aeren, Aeren R Enterprises is a leading social infrastructure development conglomerate, engaged in value added real estate projects in the fields of edutainment, entertainment, specialty malls, corporate trading and financial services.

    Some of the successfully completed projects by Aerens family of enterprise:

    Gold Souk : Specialty malls for jewellery & wedding related requirements for the modern discerning consumer with exposure to international trends.

    Crown Interiorz : Spread over 700,000 sq. ft, is located in Faridabad on Delhi Mathura Road (NH-2), approx. 2 km from Delhi Border.

    AerenR IMAX, Sahibabad : Brings the first large format IMAX theatre to North India in partnerships with IMAX Corporation, Canada.

    Wedding Souk, Delhi: A one stop mall for anything and everything related to weddings, festivals, special occasions and casual shopping.

    AEZ Aloha Residential complexes, Gurgaon & Rishikesh : Premium category residential projects at Gurgaon and Rishikesh boast of ultra modern apartments with high-end amenities.

    AEZ Vikaspuri : The first ever superplex in North India is a fine example of international style shopping and entertainment experience and is a marvelous state-of-the-art complex.

    Contact:
    Mr. Vivek Srivastava
    Neha Saxena
    VP – Marketing and Corp. Communications
    nehakaizzen@yahoo.com
    Aeren R Enterprises
    9899646494/98186 45292
    viveks@aerenr.com
    98116 74941/ 011 – 42225222

  • CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    MUMBAI: CNN will produce three programmes with the Clinton Global Initiative to be broadcast on both CNN International and CNN/US in April, August and September of this year. The former US president Bill Clinton will be a featured guest at each of the hour-long events.

    “These programs once again highlight CNN’s position as a global platform for news and debate. To pull together such important world players to discuss critical issues plays right to heart of CNN’s international audience,” said CNN International senior VP Rena Golden.

    The end of Aids: A Global Summit with president Clinton is the first special event and will premiere in April. The program takes a unique perspective on the Aids crisis. Imagine for an hour that Aids has been eradicated. How did it happen? What role did government, drug companies and non-governmental organizations play in ending the Aids crisis? How will the unique public-private model employed at the Clinton Global Initiative be a factor in this eradication? CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will moderate a discussion that will include some of the world’s leading Aids experts and activists, informs an official statement.

    Setting the scene for the debate, CNN Africa Correspondent Jeff Koinange travels to Botswana, where 40 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS, and reports on how the government is testing for HIV. The end of Aids will also look at the most promising forms of treatment and the most effective government policies. The goal is to see how AIDS can be brought under control and eventually defeated.

    In August, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who reported on last year’s devastating hurricanes along the US Gulf Coast, will moderate the second Global Summit. The focus of this forum will be on poverty – not only in third world countries, but also in the US– and what is being done to reduce it. Poverty is one of the four topic areas at the Clinton Global Initiative.

    CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour will moderate the third and final Global Summit in September on the eve of the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Participants of this forum will discuss various topics of global significance including climate change, mitigating religious conflicts, global public health and effective global governance.

  • Endemol raises stake in Dutch NL Film & TV to 51 per cent

    Endemol raises stake in Dutch NL Film & TV to 51 per cent

    MUMBAI: Endemol N.V. has increased its stake in Dutch company Nijenhuis en de Levita Holding B.V. (NL Film & TV) from 40 per cent to 51 per cent.

    NL Film & TV is led by the creative duo Johan Nijenhuis and Alain de Levita, which focuses exclusively on scripted television drama, comedy and feature films.By increasing its stake in NL Film & TV, Endemol will be able to strengthen the cooperation between the two companies and make NL Film & TV a full member of the Endemol Group. The intensified relationship will allow NL Film & TV’s to further exploit its intellectual property in scripted programming internationally .

    Since its establishment in 2001, NL Film & TV created and produced scripted TV series, such as Costa!, Zoop, Hartslag, Lieve Lust and Keyzer & De Boer Advocaten, for several Dutch broadcasters. In addition, it produced Dutch feature-film hits like Full Moon Party, Ellis in Glamourland and Zoop In Africa.

    “We are excited to be part of the global network of Endemol which gives us the opportunity to further expand abroad,” said de Levita.

    “A good format must first prove itself locally. When it has true potential, it can be understood and enjoyed by audiences all over the world. Our scripted series and feature films can already be seen in more than six countries. Endemol offers us a strong platform to further exploit our formats internationally,” added Nijenhuis.

    Endemol chairman and CEO Joaquim Agut Bonsfills said, “Growth of scripted programming is one of Endemol’s key strategic priorities. Therefore, we are very pleased that Johan and Alain, two of the most talented and successful people in the Dutch scripted TV entertainment industry over the past few years, and their team are keen to intensify cooperation.”

    NL Film & TV’s turnover in 2005 was approximately EUR 15 million. The company currently employs a staff of 10. Endemol has an option to further increase its stake in the future.

  • Rupert Murdoch invests $13.5 million in job search engine

    Rupert Murdoch invests $13.5 million in job search engine

    MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Interactive Media and venture capital firm Foundation Capital have invested $13.5 million in Simply Hired, which is a search engine for jobs. The financing brings the company’s total funding to $17.7 million. Representatives from both Foundation Capital and Fox Interactive Media will join the company’s board of directors.

    “Fox Interactive Media’s growth strategy is to strategically partner or acquire category leaders and technology innovators that broaden or enrich our users’ experience. Our investment in Simply Hired underscores that approach and we look forward to working with them to power job search for a variety of properties on our network,” said Fox Interactive Media president Ross Levinsohn.

    Joining Fox Interactive Media in this investment is Foundation Capital, which has been behind numerous successful internet ventures, including Netflix and Netzero. “As the general search space has matured, we see vertical search as the next big opportunity. The entrepreneurs behind Simply Hired have demonstrated their ability to build a successful Internet business. They’re clearly on the right track with this venture as well. Both Foundation Capital and Fox Interactive Media have recognized an opportunity to create a significant business here,” said Foundation Capital general partner Paul Holland.

    “Simply Hired has created the most simple, effective job search experience on the planet. Fox Interactive Media are focused on developing an Internet presence that offers a deeper, richer online experience for its millions of passionate users. With the operational expertise of the team at Foundation Capital and the global presence of News Corporation, we will create a world class job search experience for a large audience,” said Simply Hired CEO Gautam Godhwani.

  • NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal and its 213 affiliate stations have formed a joint venture called National Broadband Co to sell news, lifestyle, sports, weather and other video generated by local stations,.

    The new company is intended to gives NBC stations access to millions of dollars in advertising migrating from traditional TV to the Internet.
    NBC Affiliates Board chairman Terry Mackin said, “The joint venture will allow us to serve the market that seems to have an insatiable appetite for video.”

    The company will be majority owned by NBC and offer behind-the-scenes and other video from the NBC Universal library along with footage produced by affiliates.

  • NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal has formed a new business unit, the Technology Growth Center (TGC), within the media giant to focus on new business opportunities in digital media. NBC Universal has tapped Darren Feher, the company’s chief technology officer, to run the group.

    Feher will be reporting to NBC Universal’s technology and operations division president and chief information officer of Media Works John Eck.

    “Today, consumers want to enjoy media any time and any where,” Eck said. “The TGC will help fulfill this demand by providing the necessary technology to foster a greater variety of distribution methods.”
    The new division will coordinate NBCU’s approach to technology across the company’s various distribution channels.

    TGC is organized into four divisions: Technical Product Development, developing technology in the areas of broadband, iTV, electronic-sell-through, mobile and wireless, DVRs and gaming; Policy, Strategy and Standards, focusing on increasing the influence of NBC Universal’s industry positions among standards consortia and in Washington; Emerging Technology and Research, working with GE’s Global Research Center and universities; and Anti-Piracy Technical Operations, with an emphasis on forensic watermarking, cracking down on Internet piracy, and raids and investigations, stated a media report.

    The division has already developed the technology that allowed NBC Universal to digitally send its TV content to Apple for distribution on iTunes, eliminating the need for digital beta tapes. Other TGC projects underway include DVD point-of sale activation, forensic watermarking, new peer based distribution technologies, download-to-own technology, DRM standards and automatic closed captioning.

    The TGC has also launched several interactive television projects, including a service that enabled DirecTV, EchoStar and Time Warner Cable subscribers to access medal counts, athlete biographies and news during broadcasts of the Winter Olympics in February. More recently, the TGC has facilitated online voting in several NBC shows, including Deal or No Deal.

  • Critical Mention names CNBC’s Ron Insana to its board of directors

    Critical Mention names CNBC’s Ron Insana to its board of directors

    MUMBAI: Critical Mention, Inc., the web-based television search and monitoring service for corporate communications and business intelligence professionals, has named former CNBC anchor Ron Insana to its board of directors effective immediately.

    Insana, who remains a regular contributor to CNBC, will also provide strategic direction and counsel in support of Critical Mention’s new ad-supported video syndication platform. This platform enables broadcasters and other content producers to monetise their content and extend their brand in the “long tail” of the internet by syndicating video clips to the thousands of vertical web sites looking for specific content of interest for their end users.

    “I’m very excited about my involvement with Critical Mention and am especially bullish about the new video syndication service. The syndication service promises to revolutionise the way web sites search and publish timely and relevant rich media clips from respected broadcasters and content providers. More importantly, it will also give broadcasters new opportunities to reach and prove their value to wider audiences online,” said Insana.

    Critical Mention founder and CEO Sean Morgan added, “We’re delighted to have Ron join the board. Ron’s reputation in the industry, willingness to challenge convention and understanding of our business model make him a great addition to the company.”

    Insana joined CNBC in 1991. He was a regular contributor to NBC’s Today Show and The Nightly News with Brian Williams, as well as to Imus in the Morning and Market Wrap on sister network MSNBC, and other programs when market activity warranted. Additionally, Insana has written a monthly column for USA Today entitled “Talking Business with Ron Insana” and hosted the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ron Insana Show, for Westwood One.

    He was also nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award as part of NBC’s coverage of 9/11, and in 1999, was named one of the top 100 business news journalists of the century by TJFR Group.