ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Anytime inks VoD India On-line Broadband

    Anytime inks VoD India On-line Broadband

    HONG KONG: Anytime, Asia-Pacific’s leading video-on-demand (VoD) channel, has signed a five-year distribution deal with Indian broadband player India On-Line Broadband Ltd.

    Four million homes in Mumbai and Delhi will have access to Anytime VoD movie channel and interactive games channels by March 2007.

    The VoD movie channel will be an exclusive provider of Hollywood programming and will form the cornerstone of the MTNL-IOL and BSNL-IOL IPTV platform, which are supported by the two government controlled telecom companies.

    The Anytime channel is expected to go live in December this year, making a range of Hollywood movies— both recent and library titles— and interactive games available on d demand to consumers.

    The announcement was made here at the ongoing annual convention of Casbaa.

    IOL has a fully integrated backbone network delivering broadband Internet access in India and the Anytime channel will run over the company’s own fiber metro ethernet network as well as fixed line ADSL networks of BSNL and MTNL.

  • Zee Tele Q2 revenues up 38% at Rs 4.6 billion; Net Rs 333 million

    Zee Tele Q2 revenues up 38% at Rs 4.6 billion; Net Rs 333 million

    MUMBAI: Subhash Chandra’s Zee Telefilms Limited today reported second quarter consolidated revenues of Rs 4.64 billion representing a 38.1 per cent growth over the corresponding period in the previous fiscal where it stood at Rs 3.36 billion.

    Consolidated operating profit stood at Rs 338 million, after expensing of initial investments in new activities viz. Zee Telugu, Zee Smile, Zee Sports and others, amounting to Rs 832 million (17.9 per cent of consolidated revenues).

    As a result, consolidated operating profits of continuing businesses were Rs 1,171 million, higher by 28.4 per cent over to the corresponding quarter last year.
    Profit before tax for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 was Rs 409 million while net profit was Rs 333 million, down 21.6 per cent from the Rs 425 million recorded last year.
    The results announced are after consolidating the financials of ETC Networks Limited (ETC) for the second quarter of FY2007.

    2Q FY2007 – Highlights
    Advertisement revenue Rs 2,107 million – up 42.6%
    Subscription revenue Rs 1,930 million – up 10.6%
    Zee TV now leader in 9-10 pm & in 6-8:30 pm time band
    Siticable acquires 250,000 last mile cable connections
    DishTV enhances content offering, Star bouquet available from August
    DishTV subscriber base now 1.5 million

    Said Chandra, “Zee’s second quarter results prove the continued strength of our content business and a growing presence across new genres. Not only are we growing our content business, we have been very successful in integrating it with new platforms like DTH, with significant growth potential. The performance reflects our success in delivering superior content to viewers and stronger relationship with our consumers.”

    Chandra added, “We are also happy about some recent developments relating to our business. There is continued monitoring of High Court for implementation of CAS in the notified areas of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata by December 31, 2006. This will additionally help in bringing about addressability on cable. On DTH, DishTV further enhanced its offering from August when the Star bouquet was also made available to subscribers and now DishTV has the most comprehensive content on any pay television service, whether cable or satellite. All these have extremely positive and long term impact on our business.”

    Commenting on the restructuring exercise, Chandra continued, “The restructuring exercise is underway and is expected to be completed by January 2007. There has been some delay from our earlier expectation of November 2006, due purely to a number of adjournments of court hearings. When completed, the restructuring would result in four listed companies ready to exploit the vast emerging opportunities in each line of business. The next several years would provide tremendous growth opportunities for all these four businesses.”

    Punit Goenka, whole time director and responsible for content creation, commented, “Zee TV continued to increase its viewership share from 25% in 1Q FY2007 to 28% during 2Q FY2007, along with a significant growth in time spent. During the quarter, average gross ratings points (GRPs) of Zee TV remained at 240 levels, while recording peak GRPs of 270 in week 36. The growth momentum has been led by widespread success of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs, Saat Phere and Kasamh Se, while our new launches Dulhan and Betiyan have been very well received. Betiyan touched a TVR of 5 in its first week. Zee TV now has five programmes in the Top 20 and 12 programmes in the Top 50. It has leadership in the 9 pm to 10 pm time band, and between 6 pm to 8:30 pm on weekdays.”

    “Zee Cinema continues to be the No. 1 movie channel, and increasingly is becoming a reach channel for the advertisers. Zee Marathi has improved its viewership by 16 per cent during 2Q FY2007. Zee Bangla has improved its viewership by 60 per cent and has gained leadership position in the 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm time band. Zee Sports continues to build on the back of Cricket Tri-Series in Malaysia between India, Australia and West Indies. We will continue to reinforce our competitive advantage and deliver more value to viewers and shareholders.” Goenka added.

    Elaborating on the performance, CEO Pradeep Guha said, “We are pleased with the strong operating results, content business delivered in the second quarter. We once again outperformed the market with unmatched connection with our audience and remain focused on building on our progress. Looking ahead, we are confident that continued execution of our content strategy would result in a revenue growth faster than that of industry.”

  • Hungama TV Captains Hunt auditions kick off 28 October

    Hungama TV Captains Hunt auditions kick off 28 October

    MUMBAI: Currently in its third year, the Parle-G Hungama TV Captains Hunt 2006 is set to kick off the audition stage. With the inclusion of Indore, Baroda and Hyderabad, the hunt will travel across 10 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Lucknow . The first two-day audition will commence in Kolkata on 28 and 29 October at St. Thomas Boys School.

    Having received a favourable response, of about 1,68,318 kids, Hungama TV will finally select 10 kids in the age group of 8-14 years to represent their respective cities as the Hungama TV Captains providing their valuable inputs in running the channel.

    At this stage, the articulation ability and confidence levels would be tested through a method of extempore speech. The uniqueness, level of achievement and ambition to pursue the talent at this level will also be measured. This year, instead of the evaluation rounds being based on artistic abilities, a balance of the right and left-brain skills will be tested.

    Qualified judges from the event’s knowledge partner – Origentest would evaluate all the rounds to arrive at two candidates per city who would compete in the Grand Finale to be held in Mumbai on 9 and 10 December, informs an official release.

    What’s different, is that the premise for this year’s talent hunt is to ‘Find and Shape the Future Leaders of India’ thus, several leaders from various industries will form a Captains Advisory Council (CAC) to meet the Captains on a regular basis and provide them with a sound platform to hone their nascent talent, while giving them advice and direction to emerge as leaders of tomorrow.

    As reported earlier, the channel has set aside a budget of Rs 10+ million for this year’s Captain’s Hunt. Hungama TV will be pushing the initiative via on air promotions and on-ground initiatives primarily through the intensive School Contact Program.

    Initiated in 2004, this concept allows a Board of Kid directors to give active and regular feedback on running of the channel specifically in the area of programming, marketing, distribution and competition.

  • Casbaa launches mobile TV group

    Casbaa launches mobile TV group

    Hong Kong: The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa) has announced the formal launch of the Casbaa Mobile Group, a team of organisation members dedicated to the effective, business-model focused deployment of mobile TV services across the Asia Pacific.

    The announcement was made during the first plenary day of the Casbaa Convention 2006 in Hong Kong.

    Among the Casbaa members participating in this Casbaa Group are mobile content providers such as Turner Broadcasting, ESPN Star Sports, CNBC Asia, BBC World, Star Group, Walt Disney Television International and Sony Pictures TV International, as well as platform operator PCCW, handset manufacturer Nokia and chipset supplier Sun Microsystems.

    The Casbaa Mobile Group met with the DVB-H Asia Pacific Alliance (Dapa), which comprises DVB-H dedicated broadcast platform operators such as Bridge Networks of Australia, MiTV of Malaysia and MECA from Indonesia, as well as Nokia, an official statement from Casbaa said.

    “The Casbaa objective is to create an environment where the regulatory and business issues surrounding Mobile TV can be debated with hard information exchanged to encourage the distribution of paid video content to as many Mobile TV subscribers as possible,” said Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies.

    The Casbaa engagement with Dapa followed a meeting earlier in the year with the Asia Mobile Initiative (AMI), where video-to-mobile streaming information was exchanged with roaming platforms M1-Vodafone (Singapore), Celcom (Malaysia), DTAC (Thailand) and SMART (Philippines).

    “As is demonstrated by the heavy emphasis on mobile issues in our the Casbaa Convention programme this year, the pay-TV industry places the development of a robust business model for Mobile TV as one of its highest priorities for our digital future,” said Twiston Davies.

    There is a long-term commitment by the content industry to work more closely with mobile platforms and manufacturers to create an economically viable business for everyone. This is just the beginning of the development of new and substantive revenue stream for our industry, he added.

  • Nokia unveils TV enabled Nokia N92 mobile phone

    Nokia unveils TV enabled Nokia N92 mobile phone

    HONG KONG: Nokia stamped its commitment to broadcast mobile TV by live simulcast demonstration of pay-TV channels on its Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) enabled Nokia N92.

    Being showcased for the first time at the Casbaa convention, which brings together the leading participants in the Asia-Pacific region’s television industry, the demonstration includes the first-ever broadcast of Casbaa TV channel that is broadcasting the conference proceedings live, and several other international pay-TV channels during the convention.

    “The first-ever broadcast of the Casbaa TV channel and several pay-TV channels on the Nokia N92 at the annual Casbaa convention gives the industry further proof that broadcast mobile TV using DVB-H technology is a reality,” 
    an official statement quoted Jawahar Kanjilal, Director, Multimedia Experiences, Asia-Pacific, Nokia, as saying.

    “With pay-TV subscriptions approaching saturation in many countries, the industry’s leading participants now have first-hand evidence of how the mobile device can help extend their broadcast footprint across the region,” he added.

    During the week of the convention, Casbaa delegates and officials have been issued with Nokia N92 multimedia computers, which will enable them to stay connected with the conference while enjoying the personal television experience.

    “Nokia is fully committed to broadcast mobile TV and the DVB-H technology, and we will strive towards an open and competitive ecosystem similar to the one that has made GSM/WCDMA-based mobile telephony so successful today,” 
    added Kanjilal.

    In September this year, Nokia and the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation, Vietnam’s leading national broadcaster and operator in digital broadcasting, announced the decision to launch commercial broadcast mobile TV services to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi by the end of 2006.

    Consumers in both cities will enjoy seven digital TV channels and a near video-on-demand service – on the Nokia N92, from a catalog of selected titles offered by VTC.

    In June this year, the DVB-H Asia Pacific Alliance (DAPA), comprising Australia’s The Bridge Networks, MECA from Indonesia, Malaysia’s MiTV, and Nokia was established to promote the sharing of best practices and to keep member companies appraised of new business and technological developments in broadcast mobile TV.

    The group will also support regulatory preparation and discussion to facilitate the adoption of DVB-H as the standard for mobile TV in the Asia Pacific region.

    Nokia also announced interoperability agreements with Sony-Ericsson and Motorola earlier this year.

    During the FIFA World Cup in Germany this year, multivendor interoperability was showcased with the Nokia N92 multimedia computer and DVB-H enabled devices from other manufacturers, in a pilot project run by German mobile network operators E-Plus, O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

    In the Asia Pacific region, Nokia has participated in broadcast mobile TV trials in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Taiwan (R.O.C).

    Globally, pilots and market research studies so far have shown high positive feedback for broadcast mobile TV services.

  • I-Media acquires online auction firm Bidchaser

    I-Media acquires online auction firm Bidchaser

    MUMBAI: Integrated Media Holdings (I-Media) has acquired global online auction and e-commerce company Bidchaser.

    I Media builds and operates digital communications and media technologies businesses. The acquisition was completed through a 100 per cent share exchange with a Florida corporation owned by I-Media.

    Bidchaser will continue to operate under the same trade name.

    Bidchaser CEO Harish Shah and Bidchaser president and CTO Leonardo Cunha will continue in the key management roles.

    Interestingly, Bidchaser is also planning to accelerate I-Media’s broadband video business expansion by developing content clients and broadband video projects in India, the Middle East, and the Southeast Asian market – complementing Endavo’s current North and Latin American business.

    According to an official release, Bidchaser has already begun generating revenues from its newest e-commerce merchant services and e-commerce portal. The acquisition gives I-Media an e-commerce platform and a number of other critical technologies and business processes that significantly augment the entire I-Media Group’s current capabilities.

    “This transaction will significantly reduce I-Media’s overall cost of our development and sales, while immediately improving our balance sheet by adding some important software assets,” said I-Media CEO Paul D Hamm.

    “By acquiring Bidchaser, our top line growth will also be accelerated with their own e-commerce business and by augmenting our broadband video business with additional integrated platforms made available for content owners to sell movies and programs online,” he added.

    The acquisition of Bidchaser gives I-Media its third wholly-owned high-tech subsidiary, joining Endavo Media and Communications and WV Fiber in the I-Media Group, informs the statement.

    The three companies are joining forces to launch a new digital broadcast network, which provides content owners the first turnkey solution to monetise their programming assets over broadband and reach a broader consumer market.

    I-Media has also announced that Bidchaser co-founder Harish Shah has been appointed to serve on the company’s board of directors. Shah has served as the chief strategic planner for the Bidchaser Marketplace ecommerce network.

    Over the last three years, he has led Bidchaser in building an auction, trading and community website that caters to the small retailer, the worldwide consumer and the auction enthusiasts, as stated in the statement.

    Cunha said, “Bidchaser is excited to be a part of the I-Media group. The combined resources, expertise, and strategic vision in the digital commerce marketplace shared by Bidchaser and I-Media will make this a rapidly successful and profitable venture.”

  • UK’s Ofcom OKs sponsorship of TV, radio channels

    UK’s Ofcom OKs sponsorship of TV, radio channels

    MUMBAI: UK regulator Ofcom is amending its Broadcasting Code to allow the sponsorship of commercial television channels and radio stations, subject to specific safeguards intended to preserve editorial independence, protect the under 18s and ensure audiences are made fully aware of the sponsorship relationship.

    Modifying a regulation in place for over 50 years, Ofcom announced yesterday that sponsorship of commercial television and radio programmes has been permitted for 15 years.

    Restrictions on certain programmes and channels
    The Ofcom Broadcasting Code prohibits the sponsorship of news and, for television, current affairs programmes. It also prohibits specific product categories from sponsoring certain kinds of programmes. For example, alcohol brands are not allowed to sponsor children’s programmes and gambling companies may not sponsor programmes aimed at under 18s.
    Ofcom intends to allow the sponsorship of any channel, so long as the amount of programming that cannot be sponsored is limited.

    For example, channels and stations that broadcast short hourly news bulletins will be allowed to be sponsored. However, an alcohol brand would not be allowed to sponsor a children’s television channel.
    General restrictions: 
    Specific safeguards will be put in place to preserve editorial integrity and protect children.

    These include: 
    * Viewers must be made aware of the sponsorship arrangement and the sponsor’s credits must be separated from all other editorial and advertising content on the channel; credits for the channel sponsor must not appear in or around programmes that cannot be sponsored and credits should not suggest that these programmes are included in the sponsorship arrangement;

    * The sponsor’s presence on the channel should not be unduly prominent;

    * Broadcasters will be unable to name channels after the sponsor. However, as at present, a company with a brand known in another field – for example, Hallmark or Saga – may be granted a Broadcasting Act licence in its own right, with editorial responsibility for all programme output.

    Next steps
    Channel sponsorship represents a new opportunity for broadcasters; however it is important that transparency, editorial independence and appropriate protection for the audience are maintained. Ofcom will therefore publish guidance for broadcasters to go alongside the new Code rules, to ensure full compliance.

  • Nick, CBBC competing for channel of the year at the Bafta Awards

    MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has announced the nominees for the British Academy Children‘s Film and Television Awards. The show takes place on 26 November, 2006.


    CBBC, CBeebies, Nickelodeon UK and Nick JR UK are competing for the channel of the year trophy. For film of the year the nominees are The Choronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, Pirates Of The Carribean: Dead Man‘s Chest and Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit.


    For best entertainment show the nominees are The Basil Brush Show, Raven, Top Of The Pops Reloaded and Tricky TV – Vanessa


    In addition children below the age of 16 can vote for their favourite film. The nominees include Cars,
    Chicken Little and The Chronicles Of Narnia

  • Dreamworks, Nick announce tie-up to bring big screen properties to TV


    MUMBAI: US kids brand Nickelodeon, is working with DeamWorks Animation to make television shows based on the films Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda.


    Media reports state that the Madagascar show will chronicle the adventures of its penguin characters — Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private.


    Nick will handle the day-to-day development of the series, but plans to outsource the actual CG production. DreamWorks‘s Jeffrey Katzenberg was quoted in Variety saying that these two projects are likely just the first of what will be future partnerships between Nickelodeon and Dreamworks, which have been in the works since DreamWorks was acquired by Paramount last December


     

  • BBC’s new reality show focusses on aspiring restaurateurs

    BBC’s new reality show focusses on aspiring restaurateurs

    MUMBAI: British chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc will put nine couples through their paces to see if they have what it takes to run their own restaurant in a new television event for 2007 for UK pubcaster BBC Two.

    Incredibly, more than 1,000 new restaurants open every year in Britain; unfortunately, 900 close within a year. The Restaurant features nine couples whose dream is to run their own eatery. They have to create their perfect restaurant and then open the doors to the paying public.

    Every decision, every mistake they make, every argument they have, will be caught on camera. They are working and living together 24-hours a day, under huge pressure. Each week, one of the restaurants is eliminated from the competition by Blanc, acting as judge.

    At the end of the run, the winners get to run their own restaurant, financially backed and personally supported by Raymond with a six-figure sum of his own money.

    The show is a brutal insight into the business of running a restaurant and the incredible pressure of living and working with your partner.

    It’s a lesson on how to and how not to cook, a lesson on how we like to be served, what we like to eat and what we like to send back to the kitchen.

    It’s a story with a great climax at the end of each show and a winning couple who will have been proven to have what it takes in the restaurant trade, the toughest of all business challenges.

    Raymond Blanc said: “To set up a business – especially a restaurant business – and make a success of it is one of the hardest things in the world.

    “It is a constant balancing act – of passion with acumen, ego with humility, knowledge with a hunger to take risks.

    “Of course, I am very proud to be a leader within the restaurant industry. I owe a great deal of my success to my excellent team and maybe my greatest success is to have credited their intelligence rather than restricted it.

    “I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise with like-minded people who are eager to enter this crazy but irresistible world and achieve the dream for themselves.”

    Raymond Blanc, widely acknowledged as one of the world’s finest chefs, has held two Michelin stars for the last 22 years for his esteemed centre of excellence, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford. Raymond has also run a scholarship programme for ten years.

    He has been at the very top of the restaurant game for more than three decades and has trained some of the UK’s most brilliant chefs, including Marco Pierre White, Michael Caines and Eric Chavot.

    BBC Two controller Roly Keating said, “BBC Two viewers are fascinated by food and business – this show audaciously brings them together for a television event. As well as providing an insight into the food that is served on our plates, it will reveal the harsh realities of the restaurant business. We’re delighted that Britain’s most legendary chef has joined forces with BBC Two to create this project.”

    The BBC adds that many people dream about running their own restaurant, but what many don’t know is how high the casualty rate is. It’s a dangerous business to be in. For those who get it right, it’s hugely lucrative, challenging and rewarding, but get it wrong and they could lose everything. This show will capture all the drama, the pain and pleasure of setting up and either keeping, or losing, a restaurant says the pubcaster.