ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Cartoon Network Enterprises unveils ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ merchandise

    Cartoon Network Enterprises unveils ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ merchandise

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the global licensing and merchandising division of the Network has announced the launch of consumer products featuring the Galli Galli Sim Sim characters including Elmo, Biscuit Badshah, Bharat, Ernie across four categories. In their efforts to extend the magic of the series, Turner International wants to give children a chance to touch, feel and own the characters outside of their TV sets.

    The first phase of the Galli Galli Sim Sim merchandising programme will commence with the launch of an entire range of apparel, publishing, plush and home furnishing for which CNE has partnered with Liliput, Euro Kids, Scholastic, Mattel and Portico.

    Cartoon Network Enterprises – India and South Asia director Jiggy George said, “The objective of Cartoon Network Enterprises is to mirror the success of the channel off-air. The fabulous response received for the revolutionary pre-school series Galli Galli Sim Sim along with the instant popularity being enjoyed by the show’s Muppets are reasons enough for us to offer kids’ merchandise centered around these new stars of kids’ programming.”

    “We are bullish about the Indian market and endeavour to consistently expand our products portfolio by constantly adding newer characters, brands, categories and retail partners.”

    Targeted at 2 – 8 years old, the Galli Galli Sim Sim range of apparel merchandise will be manufactured and distributed by Lilliput and will be available in 60 Liliput stores across India and multi-brand outlets.

    Euro Kids will offer eight storybooks across 25 cities while Scholastic will offer six titles across the Book Club catalogue to be sent to 2200 schools across 500 cities as well as various book fairs.

    Mattel will manufacture and distribute non-toxic Classic Sesame plush across multi-brand outlets and toy stores in over 20 cities. The range will introduce a Hindi-speaking plush for the first time in the country.

    Home furnishing merchandise will be manufactured and distributed by Portico and will include bedsheets, pillow covers, duvets and quilts featuring the Galli Galli Sim Sim Indian Muppets.

    Priced between Rs. 70 to Rs. 1399 across categories, the products will be available in multi-brand retail chains such as Lifestyle, Shoppers’ Stop, Pantaloon, Piramyd, Landmark and Hypercity. Galli Galli Sim Sim branded merchandise will be launched across several other categories in 2007.

    With this, Cartoon Network Enterprises continues to strengthen its retail presence with over 700 products currently available in over 13 categories such as apparel, plush, home furnishings, home décor, party products, stationery across 3000 plus counters and 20 cities, including branded in-store Cartoon Network corners in retail chains such as Lifestyle, Piramyd, Pantaloon, Shoppers’ Stop, Liliput, and others.

  • Infront, Dentsu launch football media services JV

    Infront, Dentsu launch football media services JV

    MUMBAI: The joint venture between Infront Sports and Media and Dentsu, created to handle the distribution of Asian broadcast rights to the 2010 and 2014 soccer Fifa World Cups and all Fifa events between 2007 and 2014, has been officially launched.

    The new company, called Football Media Services (FMS), is a result of Fifa’s award of the Asian rights to the Infront and Dentsu joint venture earlier this year. It was in March that Dentsu and Infront came together to form a joint venture to ward off a daring attempt by Nimbus Sport to get the rights,

    FMS has its headquarters in Singapore. It will handle the marketing of all television, radio, broadband internet and mobile broadcasting rights to the 2007-2014 Fifa events including the 2010 and 2014 Fifa World Cups in key Asian territories.

    The company is headed by Michael Francombe, who used to be an executive director with Infront in Switzerland.

    FMS has already been active in the sale of Fifa events in Asia. It will shortly announce a substantial new contract for a major Asian territory setting a new benchmark in the region and covering broadcast rights for all 2007-2014 FIFA events.

    Dentsu CEO Tomoharu Tsuruda said, “We have known and worked with the Infront team over many years, both as partners and friendly rivals. We have much respect for their abilities and believe that this joint-venture will deliver the best possible results for FIFA.”

    Infront, president and CEO Philippe Blatter says, “We are exited about our partnership with Dentsu. Our joint know-how provides a strong foundation to meet the expectations for successful distribution of the Asian broadcast rights. The results of FMS’s early initial negotiations in some of the major territories in Asia are already leading to very promising results.”

  • Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment’s format ‘Nirvana’ has been picked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top five formats of Mipcom 2006.

    Whereas India is now a big player in sourcing formats from the world market, this will be the first time an Indian content producer has created content for the world market, informs an official release.

    Executive chairman of Optimystix, Sanjiv Sharma said “This is a format what we pitched to our fellow members at the Sparks Network at MIP TV in April this year. Whereas the format was extremely well received, it really exciting to be picked as one of the top five formats of the world’s biggest content market. We have serious interest for Nirvana from Networks in the US, France, Finland, Belgium, Poland and Italy.”

    Nirvana is a format where seekers from a country will come to India to seek spiritual solutions that will help them cope with modern life, the release adds.

    Managing Director and Head of Creative Services at Optimystix, Vipul D Shah said “This is matter of pride for the entire country. Whereas India will continue to consume creative ideas from the world market, it is very important to create content which can be pitted against the best of the best in the global arena.”

    Chairman of the Sparks Network, Nicola Soderlund said “This is the first time an Indian Format has hit the international TV market and this proves that Optimystix can compete with global players. We are very proud that Sparks has played a part in this achievement and expect several more original and ground breaking ideas to come out from this talented team. This is just the beginning.”

  • Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    MUMBAI: Earlier this year in June animation channel Animax underwent a repositioning. While previously it used to target kids now it targets youth 15-24.

    It made a paradigm shift from kids’ entertainment to general entertainment animated series with mature content to be enjoyed by the urban youth.

    It launched its website www.animaxindia.com a couple of months ago. The Animax viewer can log on to obtain updates on the latest buzz words in all things animation. There are Animax forums and chats that discuss everything from Animax shows and animated characters to the exclusive gossip on anime box office and music.

    Animax now claims that since its inception there has been a 237 per cent rise in the page views indicating a page view of 255,262 in the month of September 2006 from 75,636 in the month of August, 2006. The number of unique visitors to the website has also increased at least one-fold from 3,327 in August 2006 to a substantial 8,241 in September, 2006.

    The channel says that since it is now grown up, the Animax viewer is a hip young adult that spends time at coffee shops, browsing the net for the latest in animation, gaming, gadgets and gizmos.

    Animax adds that the Indian youth today want to experience a daily life that is dynamic, fun and full of creativity. It is addressing this need through the site.

    Fans can be updated with all the schedules of their favourite Animax features. The website gives a voice to all the fans with its Animax Forum where they can log in and post their thoughts.

  • Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    MUMBAI: Big 92.7 FM has geared up to celebrate the festival of lights – Diwali on an exciting note and sizzling note with Big Diwali Patakha Contest. This four-day campaign will witness a flurry of fantastic activity based on various innovative themes.

    The activity commences on 18 October, wherein the best comic artists in town will get together to give you a never-before-heard laughter experience all day long, according to an official statement. 

    Listeners can participate and win exciting gifts on the show by sending in their funniest Diwali stories and Diwali. The renowned comedians joining us on the airwaves would be Nazhar Khan,Ashish Roy Basu , Sunil Grover along with our own celebrity RJ Sunil Pal .

    19 October would be a day of predictions and prophecies with All Day Luck astrologers and tarot readers talking about various zodiac signs, birthday dates, and tips on numerology. The prominent astrologers making predictions on Big would be Suniel Naik, Atal Bhambhi and Sunita Menon.

    The third day brings in the nine hour All Day Loot contest, based on the theme of Filmy Patakhas like Neha Dhupia, Koena Mitra, Diya Mirza, Sameera Reddy and Bipasha Basu, wherein listerners will get to hear patakha Songs, patakha celeb bytes and patakha trivia. Nine lucky winners from the contest will be taken to a mall to grab whatever they can in 92.7 seconds. And if this is not enough, some of the winners can also bag a voucher worth Rs 9270 to shop. There will also be hourly winners of gold coins and silver coins from 7 am till 11 PM

    On the eve of Deepawali, Big 92.7 FM celebrates with All Day Tradition a show dedicated to the traditions, customs and rituals of Diwali followed in your city, full of trivia on spirituality and traditions woven around the pious occasion of Diwali. On the auspicious timing of Puja, Big 92.7 FM will air live aartis sung by celebrity singers.

    A day long contest will also be on, wherein the listeners cajole our Celeb RJs to visit their home and join them for the Diwali Aarti in the evening, and lucky winners will see Celeb RJ’s visiting their homes, performing evening Pooja and burst crackers with the lucky Big Family.

  • Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    MUMBAI: Brilliant Entertainment Networks (Ben) has been appointed as the official event management agency for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2006, to be held in Goa this November. The Delhi based company was selected after an elaborate three month selection procedure.

    Out of seven applicants three firms were short-listed by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which is the state owned nodal agency associated with organising International Film Festivals. These included two Mumbai based firms, Wizcraft and 360 degrees Times Infotainment and Delhi based Brilliant Entertainment Networks.

    The IFFI-2004 and IFFI-2005 were handled by 360 degrees and Wizcraft respectively, however Ben walked away with the maximum scores this year. From a total of 100 points in marketing and technical expertise, Ben outscored the others two by a huge margin, the scores being: Ben – 96.4, Times Infortainment – 56 and Wizcraft – 44.

    The state government has been entrusted by the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and therefore, this will be the first time that an event management agency will take care of the inaugural and closing ceremonies too. ESG chief secretary J.P.Singh said, “The firm has been selected because of their creative design and marketing strategy.”

    Ben Director Raman Raheja added, “This is one of the biggest projects of our Events industry. IFFI-2006 gives us an opportunity to use our technical and creative expertise to take this event to the level of Cannes Film Festival.”

  • MTV in content, advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu

    MTV in content, advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV has announced a content and advertising alliance with Chinese search engine Baidu.com.

    The new strategic partnership will give China’s 123 million Internet users easy access to 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickelodeon original video content and music videos licensed by five top Chinese and Asian music companies for online viewing or download through www.baidu.com.

    As part of the agreement, MTV will provide the first-ever branded area featured on Baidu – MTV Zone, which will include advertising at launch by Motorola and P&G. This deal extends MTV China’s digital media position, where MTV claims to have 100 per cent reach of the country’s mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom.

    MTV International president Bill Roedy commented, “This breakthrough relationship with Baidu delivers Chinese audiences a major digital platform for non-stop, 24-hour access to MTV and Nickelodeon programming content for the first time – from SpongeBob SquarePants, to Pimp My Ride, to MTV China’s local original programming like MTV Tian Lai Cun and MTV Music Wire. This alliance with China’s number one Internet search engine is also a key milestone in our digital media position in China and advances our long-term commitment to expanding our brands and local content in China.”

    Baidu.com chairman and CEO Robin Li said, “We are excited to expand our powerful online entertainment platform at Baidu through this first-of-its-kind alliance with MTV Networks. With a diverse offering of original programming, animation and music, Chinese users will be able to experience high quality entertainment on MTV Zone. Content owners and artists will be compensated through this revenue share agreement, which also offers exciting new opportunities for advertisers to reach the online youth demographic in China. We look forward to working with MTV Networks to build on this partnership over the long-term.”

    MTV China will provide four categories of content for MTV Zone on Baidu’s portal, including:

    – MTV China’s locally produced shows such as Music Wire, Tian Lai Cun, MTV Chart Countdown, MTV English, MTV Mega Star and live music events.

    – MTV hit reality shows including Pimp My Ride, Cribs and Laguna Beach.

    – Nickelodeon’s shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, as well as live action series Unfabulous and Drake and Josh.

    – Music videos from four Chinese labels, as well as one Asian label.

    Content will vary in length, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Internet users will be able to access the high-resolution video content via viewing online, as well as downloading using Baidu’s BaiduXsetup software that enables fast downloading. Some downloaded content will require payment, such as music videos, while most will be downloadable free of charge after viewing advertisements. MTVN, Baidu, and where applicable, the record labels, share the revenues.

    MTV and Baidu will also share ad revenues. Motorola and Procter & Gamble’s Rejoice brand have signed on as the first advertisers of MTV Zone downloads. In addition, MTVN has signed licensing agreements with four of the top music companies in Mainland China, including EE Media, Modern Sky, Music Nation and Ocean Butterflies to enable MTVN to distribute music videos for emerging and established artists. These include Jeff Chang, JJ Lin, Aaron Kwok, Wang Rong, New Pants and others. Music video content will also be available from indie label Avex Group, which represents many artists with strong pan-Asian appeal, such as Japan’s Ayumi Hamasaki, Boa, and Namie Amuro; Mainland China’s He Jie; and Taiwan’s Cindy Wang and Show Lo. Additional agreements to offer videos from local and international artists will be announced soon.

    MTV adds that it has many agreements around the world to make its content available on multiple platforms, including the Internet, mobile phones and portable devices. Internet partnerships include companies such as AOL, Google Video, iTunes and Amazon, among others, for MTV, Nickelodeon and the company’s other leading brands.

  • Optus D1 satellite successfully launched

    Optus D1 satellite successfully launched

    MUMBAI:The Optus Networks Pty Ltd has launched into orbit a satellite — Optus D1 that will provide fixed communication and direct television broadcast services to Australia and New Zealand.

    Launched on 13 October into the orbit aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, had been builted by Orbital Sciences Corporation for Optus of Australia, was successfully launched into its targeted orbit aboard an Ariane 5 rocket on Friday, October 13.

    The Optus D1 satellite is the first of the two satellites that Orbital is building for Optus. The second satellite, Optus D2, is scheduled for completion and launch in 2007. 

    Both of the Optus satellites are based on Orbital’s Star 2.4 platform, which can generate nearly five kilowatts of payload power and can weigh over 5,000 pounds (2,500 kilograms) at launch, making them the largest and most powerful commercial communications spacecraft in Orbital’s satellite product line. 

    “The demand for satellite communication services continues to grow strongly for direct-to-home subscription television, remote and rural communications and high speed broadband services,” Optus chief executive Paul O’Sullivan said.

  • Viacom acquires Quizilla.com for MTV Networks

    Viacom acquires Quizilla.com for MTV Networks

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc has acquired Quizilla.com, an online, user-generated community of original teen authors, aged 14 and above, who create and share quizzes, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, polls, and other content.

    The website was acquired from Gorilla Nation Media and will now become part of the Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. Ranked as a top-five destination for female teens, Quizilla.com drew 3.1 million unique visitors globally last month, according an official release.

    “Quizilla.com is a terrific destination and another interactive and creative online environment that we’re adding to MTV Networks’ portfolio of targeted digital brands,” said MTV Networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. 

    “This marks another great step forward with our strategy of continuing to transform MTVN into a global, multi-platform entertainment company that engages our diverse audiences wherever, whenever and however they want.”

    The acquisition of Quizilla.com follows MTV Networks’ deals to buy Shockwave.com, AddictingGames.com and NeoPets.com. They joined a stable of online brands that includes The-N.com, Nick.com, ParentsConnect.com and TurboNick. 

    “The acquisition of Quizilla combined with The-N.com and NeoPets will further deepen our already strong connection with our audience and provide them with new ways to experience our content on The N as well as the ability to create and share their own creative ideas and passions through Quizilla,” said Nickelodeon and MTVN president Cyma Zarghami. “This is a great complement to our portfolio of brands that super serve preschoolers, kids, teens, parents and families overall.”

  • Disney to encourage kids to eat healthy

    Disney to encourage kids to eat healthy

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has introduced new food guidelines for licensed foods and promotions aimed at children that will govern Disney’s business partnerships and activities in the U.S. on a going-forward basis and will be adapted internationally over the next several years.

    The new policies call for Disney to use its name and characters ond fat and sugar. ly on kid-focused products that meet specific guidelines, including limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar.

    Disney also announced nutritionally-beneficial changes in the meals served to children at all Disney-operated restaurants in its parks and resorts and unveiled a company-wide plan to eliminate added trans fats from food served at its parks by the end of 2007 and from its licensed and promotional products by the end of 2008.

    “Disney will be providing healthier options for families that seek them, whether at our Parks or through our broad array of licensed foods,” said Disney president and CEO Robert Iger. “The Disney brand and characters are in a unique position to market food that kids will want and parents will feel good about giving them.”

    Disney Consumer Products has already begun to offer many licensed products which comply with the guidelines. They include breakfast items such as instant oatmeal featuring characters like The Incredibles and Kim Possible, and Disney Garden fresh produce such as kid-sized apples and bananas. Lunch and dinner foods such as Mickey-shaped organic ravioli and other pastas are also now available, informs an official release.

    Beginning this month in U.S. Disney Parks and Resorts, kids’ meals are automatically being served with low fat milk, 100 percent fruit juice or water along with side dishes like apple sauce or carrots in place of the traditional soft drinks and French fries. Initial tests involving 20,000 kids’ meals show that as many as 90 percent of parents and kids stayed with the more nutritious option.

    Added trans fats are in the process of being removed from all Disney food offerings. Food served at the U.S. Disney Parks and Resorts will be free of added trans fats by the end of 2007. Disney’s U.S. licensing and promotional groups are aiming to meet an end-2008 deadline.

    These guidelines are based on The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and have been developed in cooperation with two child health and wellness experts, Dr. James O. Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and Dr. Keith Thomas Ayoob, Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.