Category: News Broadcasting

Zee English and Movies launched

Two English entertainment channels were launched on 15 March by Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra and Chief Executive R.K. Singh in Mumbai. Zee Movies and Zee English will be offering fierce competition to Star World, Star Movies and HBO. Or at least so hopes the Zee Telefilms management.

The two channels are aiming at the niche but relatively large English speaking and understanding audiences in India and also lovers of B-grade movies and some up-to-date series from the US market. The launch coincides with the launch of the preview broadcast of global movie champ HBO over India.

Zee English and Zee Movies are free to air currently but will be encrypted as part of the Zee digital bouquet. The company is bringing in a small batch of Philips IRDs to seed the market until the transition to a digital bouquet.

Both the channels are airing a mix of eighties, nineties, and even the most recent season’s programming from the US. On offer are series such as ER, Friends, The David Letterman show, Here’s Lucy, Central Park West, Three’s Company, Charlie Chaplin, Twilight Zone etc on Zee English.

In a bid to raise the hackles of Zee TV’s former partner Star TV, the programming team has decided to air the consignment of Friends episodes it has the rights to just half an hour before it is aired on Star World.

The software for Zee Movies has been acquired from MGM, Pearson, Carlton, Fremantle, Diskovery, and Passport International. Some of the titles on offer include: Quest, Kazaam, Evil Dead, Leon.

Chandra points out that there will be a dedicated effort from the Zee Telefilms programming team to produce English language software which will find a market internationally. “Instead of importing software from foreign countries, we will develop our own content which will find buyers not only in India but also in the global village,” he says.

Singh believes that the two English channels will break even in the next two to three years like any other Hindi entertainment channel.

Will he have to eat his words in two years time?

“Unlikely,” says Chandra. “Ultimately it will be the consumer who will decide. And we are confident we will help him decide in our favour.”

March 26, 2006
Asia still a sport specific television market: Sportel

MUMBAI: At the recently concluded sports television market Sportel Asia 2006 in China, Mediametrie’s International director, Jacques Braun, noted that “year 2005 was a good year for TV consumption throughout the world, despite the lack of worldwide sports events”.

He stressed the fact that 2006 is the year of the Soccer World Cup in Germany starting in June in Munich. This is a worldwide event, but if Europe prefers soccer, the Winter Sports like Alpine skiing and ice hockey are still the preference of more than 7 countries.

Asia is still a very specific market. China’s best sports TV audience of 2005 was the opening ceremony of the National games with more than 54 billion viewers, and India preferred cricket to soccer just like their neighbour Pakistan.

In 2005, the Brazil FI grand prix won a large audience in Germany with 7.3 billion viewers who followed this GP on RTL and also with 6.2 billion viewers on Rai 1. In China, the Monaco grand prix realized an audience of more than 5.4 billions viewers.

Braun says, “Once more, TV audiences are even better when the events are local or broadcast in prime time”.

The winter Olympic Games of Torino saw the men’s free skating competition meet with great audience success in the USA (their national competitors finished 3rd and 5th) with more than 19 billion viewers (delayed broadcast in prime time), and also in Switzerland (TSR2 realized a market share of 37,2%) and France where more than 6 billion viewers (average audience on France 2) were waiting for the French competitor.

Eurodata TV Worldwide will publish its report One TV Sport Year in the World – 2006 issue by mid april 2006 and offers studies about all the big events with the sport event reports about the Torino OG or the next Soccer World Cup.

March 25, 2006
It is a ‘Windfall’ for NBC this summer

MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC will air a drama Windfall with Luke Perry, Lana Parrilla, Jason Gedrick, Sarah Wynter and D.J. Cotrona.

The show follows 20 lottery winners after their unexpected good fortune and premieres on 8 June 2006.

NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly says, “This is an engaging and dramatic series with an extremely talented cast. Windfall is an important component of our summer lineup and exemplifies our commitment to quality year round original programming.”

The show follows 20 lottery winners in the wake of winning a massive, 386 million-dollar lottery. Unfortunately, their initial ecstasy is tempered by the romantic, social and family complications caused by instant wealth.

At the center is a close-knit foursome who have known each other since college when the ‘wrong’ spouses were in love. Perry stars as Peter Schaefer, a devoted husband to Nina played by Parrilla and father of two. Parrilla finds herself caught between her love for her husband and the deep feelings she has for her college beau and her husband’s best friend, Cameron Walsh, played by Gedrick. Sarah Wynter plays Cameron’s loving but suspicious wife.

A relative stranger to their circle is Cotrona as Sean Mathers, who finds that winning the lottery threatens to expose a dark secret in his past. Also, for Damien Cutler a rebellious teen, winning the cash means he is set free from his parents — with millions in his pocket. Alice Greczyn stars as Frankie, a 16-year-old girl whose separated parents’ newfound wealth sets off a marital war. Rounding out the cast is Jaclyn DeSantis who plays Maggie Hernandez, a nurse whose generous heart and newfound wealth prove to be a dangerous combo.

March 25, 2006
Yahoo! set to enter India

Yahoo! Inc is all set to set its foot in India. The portal had earlier announced its plans for creating a India-centric portal. It will commence its operations in India within three months. The Santa Clara based company is setting up offices in Bangalore and Mumbai.

Yahoo!’s Indian model will be on the lines of Rediff.com and Indiainfo.com. The company has advertised in local newspapers to recruit technical and management professionals for its India operations.

Rediff.com insiders have laid fears of the outgo of its senior, experienced and well-trained professionals and executives to Yahoo India. “The staff outgo to Yahoo! is a bigger threat than the portal itself” said a senior official at Rediff.com.

Portals like Indiainfo.com, Rediff.com and Satyamonline.com will have to roll up their sleeves as the biggest international player is entering the Indian web space. In a recent report, Yahoo.com was the portal with the largest recall value. With all the resources, goodwill, popularity and the experience, Yahoo! is all set rule the portal market in India.

March 25, 2006
Zee English and Zee Movies go on the blink

The two babe-in-the-wood channels blanked out yesterday on the day of their launch for a cumulative period of 45 minutes. The first black out came between 9:30 and 10 pm and was followed by another shutdown between 11 and 11:15 pm. The channels are being beamed off.

Zee TV officials are looking into the development. However, Asiasat officials point out that an unknown carrier barged in on the same frequency of the two chanels leading to their disappearce. However, they add that they have not been able to ascertain who it was and whether the interfering transmission was intentional or accidental.

Sources, however, indicate that there was a problem during the transmission of the channels, which could be attributed to a mismatch of the symbol rate at which the transmission was being done and the symbol rate at which the Philips boxes – which are being used receive the two digital channels – were set. That resulted in a blackout.

March 25, 2006
Talent show targeted by Chinese regulators

MUMBAI: The hit Chinese talent search reality show The Mongolian Cow Sour Yogurt Supergirl Contest is being targeted by Chinese media regulators seeking to either change the format or keep it off the air.

The American Idol knockoff was a huge hit for Hunan Satellite Television. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has reservations about the show because it showed contestants in “vulgar” clothing and so-called “low-class” behavior, reports indicate.

According to media reports, SARFT has issued a notice indicating that talent shows will be more strictly regulated in the future, and some will be banned from broadcast in certain regions.

March 25, 2006
Maharashtra chief minister woos entertainment industry

Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has invited the entertainment industry to come up with suggestions to help develop Maharashtra as a bigger player in the entertainment industry. While speaking at the FICCI seminar in Mumbai yesterday, Deshmukh said he would like suggestions from captains of industry to take his state forward.

“This region should be developed as a satellite hub,” he pointed out. “I see earth stations coming up to make this as a centre of activity for television.”

He added that his government was going to come up with a package to allow for the setting up of cinema multiplexes in the state. “We are examining what the other states are doing on this front. Top of our minds is making the sector viable.”

He added that his government was working on setting up a new training institute for film and television in the state.

March 25, 2006
‘The Simpsons’ to have live title sequence

MUMBAI: A live-action main title sequence of The Simpsons will be unveiled on 26 March on US broadcaster Fox.

The live-action show opening is a homage to American television’s longest-running sitcom. From the Simpsons parting through the clouds to the infamous Bart writing on the chalkboard, Homer pulling the nuclear rod out of his shirt, Maggie scanned at the supermarket and the always-anticipated ‘couch gag’ conclusion, the live-action opening mirrors each element of the animated sequence.

The greatest attention to detail was paid in this recreation by a British team, as conceived and commissioned by the UK network Sky One. From wardrobe to location settings to character mannerisms, it’s all translated with uncanny accuracy via real, flesh-and-blood actors.

The show’s executive producer Al Jean says, “I am just amazed there are people who want to be known for looking like the Simpsons.”

The centerpiece of Sky One’s new Simpsons campaign in the UK, the short will make its American debut in the all-new episode, Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife guest-starring yet another British import, Ricky Gervais. In the episode, Homer’s obsession with Lenny’s new plasma TV causes Marge to enter the family in a sweepstakes, where they win a prize to the Fox studio lot.

Against Marge’s judgment, Homer signs the family up for a “Trading Spouses”-type show and is forced to take in a controlling wife, while Marge moves in with a beaten-down husband, Charlie (guest star Gervais), and his perfect son. Charlie quickly develops a crush on Marge, while she’s just trying to give him the strength to stand up to his own wife.

March 25, 2006
Sun TV sets IPO price band at Rs 730-875

MUMBAI: Sun TV has fixed the price band of its initial public offering (IPO) at Rs 730 to 875 per share. The issue will open for subscription on 3 April and close on 7 April.

The company aims to raise Rs 6.03 billion at the top end of the price band. Sun TV will offer a fresh equity issue of 68,89,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each for cash, to be made entirely through the book building route.

The issue will constitute 10 per cent of the fully diluted post issue paid-up capital of the company. Following the issue, the shareholding of Sun TV Ltd principal promoter Kalanithi Maran will reduce to 89.99 per cent from 99.99 per cent (61,999,969 shares).

The company has mandated Kotak Mahindra Capital Company and DSP Merril Lynch for the issue. The proceeds of the issue will be used to beef up its subsidiaries, launch more television channels and construct its own corporate office. Investments will also be made in setting up studio facilities and up-linking infrastructure, purchasing new equipment and upgrading the existing ones.

Sun TV Ltd is part of the Sun Network, which runs 14 TV channels, four FM Radio stations, two daily newspapers and four magazines. Sun TV Ltd comprises four Tamil channels — Sun TV, Sun Music, KTV and Sun News — and two Malayalam channels — Surya TV and Kiran TV.

March 25, 2006
FremantleMedia launches ‘The X Factor’ in the Middle East

MUMBAI: Format creator and production firm FremantleMedia has announced that it is launching a local version of The X Factor in the Middle East.

The X Factor, XSeer Al Najah (The X Factor, The Essence of Success) will be produced by Lebanese production company Studiovision and will premiere on 26 March on music channel Rotana TV, culminating in the grand finale on 4 June.

The 14 episode series will be broadcast in 22 Arabic speaking countries. Global interactive digital broadcaster Cellcast will handle telephony and will be responsible for mobile content across all 22 countries.

FremantleMedia regional manager, Middle East and North Africa Isabelle Garcia said, “We are really excited about bringing this format to the Middle East. Not only do we have fantastic judges with great backgrounds but also the acts coming forward are something the Arabian public has never seen before.”

FremantleMedia adds that thousands of hopefuls with dreams of becoming the next Arabic singing sensation have turned up to perform at auditions in The Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Egypt, Dubai and Tunisia. Judging the talent are Michel Elefteriades, owner of the celebrated Music Hall in Beirut; Nelly from Egypt, a performer in both the acting and singing fields and Khaled El Sheikh, a Bahraini producer and composer. Following in the footsteps of the UK production, the three categories will comprise younger and older contestants and groups.

The X Factor has been broadcast in five territories to date: the UK, Belgium, Colombia, Australia and Russia. In the UK, series two of The X Factor attracted audiences of up to 10 million and was voted the most popular entertainment programme of 2005 at the National Television Awards. The second series achieves shares of up to 60 per cent for all individuals, 91 per cent above the broadcaster’s primetime average.

March 25, 2006