ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Sify Gamedromes announces national tournament

    Sify Gamedromes announces national tournament

    MUMBAI: Sify Gamedrome, the gaming chain from Sify Limited will conduct a national online Counter Strike Condition Zero (CZ) tourney for the first time. The tournament will be held across 202 Gamedromes in 60 cities over a period of 45 days.

    Counter Strike Condition Zero Battle is one of the leading online action games globally, and is the headliner at competitive gaming tournaments around the world. The Grand National finals will be held on 2 October. Around 10,000 gaming enthusiasts and seven million registered online users are expected to participate in this first ever National Online Tourney.

    Speaking on the announcement of this exciting new online games initiative, Sify Access Media president Pijush Kanti Das, said “The first ever Gamedrome National Online Counter Strike CZ Battle Tourney is being supported by an exclusive tie- up with Animax for television coverage. An online campaign with a microsite on www.gamedrome.co.in, banners on the homepages of the increasingly popular www.sifymax.com and www.sify.com, as well as promotional e-mailers and wallpapers across our over 3400 iWays and Gamedromes will spread the excitement. For we are committed to developing the community of online gamers in India, and expect this national level tournament to be the first of many such initiatives”.

    The contestants will have an opportunity to win prizes worth Rs 1 million right from the Mock Tournaments at the regional levels to the Grand National Finals. The Tourney will start with mock tournaments at each participating Sify Gamedrome. The winners at each Gamedrome will then play at the Gamedrome level on 22-23 September. The winners at the Gamedrome level will then play the city finals on 30 September. The zonal level, regional level and the grand final tournament will take place on September 1st 06 and September 2nd 06 respectively.

    The national winners of a team of five players will get Sony Erricson (W) series handsets worth more than a lakh of rupees. At a regional level, gift hampers from Gigabyte worth Rs 25,000 will be distributed to each winning team of five players. The zonal level and Gamedrome level will receive prizes worth Rs 10,000 each and gift hamper worth Rs 1,000 each respectively.

    Online games have witnessed rapid growth in the recent past with 202 Gamedromes across 60 cities in the country with a growing number of dedicated online gamers. In addition, over 1000 iWays across the country have games enabled PCs. Sify’s Gamedromes and games enabled iWays have both the latest and most popular games across all genres, including racing, action, sports, strategy and online games on high-end multi-media computers.

  • Nick scores hat trick with new shows on board

    Nick scores hat trick with new shows on board

    MUMBAI: Kids TV channel Nick has launched three new shows in different time bands. Two of the shows rolled out this month specifically cater to pre-schoolers.

    The new shows which include Fetch the Vet, Kiri the Clown and Ninja Hattori promises to give kids a wide variety of humour, music and learning from the best in the world.

    Fetch the Vet is a pre-school show about Tom Fetch, a veterinarian who runs a clinic in a small country town. Tom is the first person the townsfolk go to for any pet-related problem and he’s happy to give them his attention and affection. This show will be telecast at 1pm from Monday to Saturday.

    Kiri the Clown is a colourful animation show based on the book series. Kiri travels from town to town with Pip’lett the Parrot, Rabitus the Cat and Laura the Ballerina who perform in a little circus and are best pals. The gags, magic, songs, dances and slap stick humour in the show have been designed for pre-schoolers. It will be telecast at 10.30am from Monday to Saturday.

    The third show Ninja Hattori is a story about Ken, an ordinary boy who befriends a little ninja called Hattori who’s anything but normal! He has the powers of a supreme ninja so that he can speed like a rocket, sleep on the ceiling and know martial arts at the back of his fast hand! This show will be telecast at 6.30pm from Monday to Friday.

    The bevy of new shows the channel has been launching since the beginning of the year – ten in all – seems to have borne fruit with the channel showing an over 500 per cent rise in TVR and doubling its reach over the same period last year. The new shows are expected to take the channel even higher, states an official release.

    Nick launched in India in 1999 as a multi-genre kids’ TV channel and today claims to be viewed in over 23 million households in the country. Its content for 2-14 year olds includes animated series, live-action shows, comedy, popular game shows (including the locally produced Dum Duma Dum and Gili Gili Gappa), hosted shows and live-action-cum-animation series, J Bole Toh Jadoo.

  • Zee Cinema targets the youth with interactive property ‘Klub’

    Zee Cinema targets the youth with interactive property ‘Klub’

    MUMBAI: Zee Cinema has announced the launch of its youth block Klub. Apart from telecasting youth-oriented movies, the segment will also be driving various interactive features for the channel’s target audience.

    The property has been slated for the evening time band from Monday to Friday at 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm, starting 25 September.

    Speaking on the launch, Zee Cinema business head Bharat Ranga said, “With the launch of Klub, the channel aims to strike a direct chord with the youth. To keep our audience engaged we are launching a lot of interactive features on Klub. We are optimistic that Klub will add to the movie viewing experience of Zee Cinema for the viewers.”

    Interactivity on Klub will include the following:

    Sms ASTRO & your star sign to 7575 – daily predictions will be displayed.

    Sms LOVE, your name & your mates name to 7575 for love analysis.

    Star Match: Match your compatibility with your favourite Bollywood Stars
    One can provide their date of birth along with the name of any star & the service can be promoted for specific stars at different times/days.

    Celebrity Forecast: Get updates on your favourite celebrity’s future forecast and whom you share your birthday with.

  • WWE doing a VoD promotion in the US

    WWE doing a VoD promotion in the US

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC Universal On Demand and World Wrestling Entertainment )WWE) are joining forces for a video on demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) promotion.

    The aim is top help help cable operators in the US attract and upgrade digital and broadband subscribers, while increasing revenue for PPV and the On Demand platform.

    Consumers can separately purchase the interactive pay-per-view Cyber Sunday from WWE from 5 November and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift from 26 October offered by NBCU on VOD and PPV. If consumers order both programmes and send in their bill showing proof of purchase by 23 November, 2006, they will receive a WWE and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Limited Edition Car Kit gift pack of automotive paraphernalia while supplies last.

    Additionally, from 26 October till 28 February , 2007, consumers can visit www.highspeedstakes.com and enter the “HighSpeedstakes” for a chance to win a prize of a driving school experience with a WWE Superstar. This co-branded microsite will also feature exclusive footage of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and provide a link to vote for Cyber Sunday.

    Fans also can participate in WWE’s Cyber Sunday PPV event in November by casting votes online at www.wwe.com to determine, among other things, which Superstars and match stipulations may be involved in the PPV event. For many situations, fans can vote right up until the match starts on PPV, providing almost immediate feedback.

    Participating cable and satellite systems will be offered an array of marketing materials in English and Spanish and will have the opportunity to tag all materials with broadband information and promotions. NBCU and WWE will support the initiative with national exposure and a media buy.

    WWE Affiliate sales and marketing senior VP Peter Clifford says, “The premise behind Cyber Sunday, which is largely a broadband involved interactive PPV event, and the natural fit between WWE fans and fans of The Fast and the Furious franchise made for a wonderful opportunity to join forces with NBCU. The result is a win/win/win for WWE, NBCU and our affiliates.

    “Using our pay-per-view and VOD assets, we are giving our customers a great opportunity to sell more high speed services.”

  • FCC schedules Kids TV hearing for 26 September

    MUMBAI: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to reconsider its children‘s TV rules in light of changes suggested by a group of broadcasters and activists. According to an Associated Press report, the commission has scheduled the issue for its 26 September open meeting.



    The organisation had issued new children‘s TV rules for the digital age in 2005. But, after facing resistence from various sides, the body had stayed the effective date of the rules.


    As per the report, the commission is expected to approve some version of the deal, which heads off lawsuits filed by both kids-TV activists and media companies.

  • CNN to air summit with former US president Clinton

    CNN to air summit with former US president Clinton

    MUMBAI: History shows that the world is plagued with the casualties of religious and ethnic conflicts. With recent struggles in Lebanon and Israel and daily clashes in Iraq, the Middle East is a hotbed of religious and ethnic conflict. CNN will air the hour long documentary In God’s Name: A Global Summit With President Clinton on 23 September at 5:30 pm and on 24 September at 3:30 pm.

    . This asks whether religion is the solution or the problem. The special is moderated by CNN’s chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour and features former U.S. President Bill Clinton in the third and final CNN special program. Joining them is an expert panel including Israeli Vice Premier, Shimon Peres; U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Dina Powell; Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan; Former United Nations Special Envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi; Former U.S. Senator and Northern Ireland peace negotiator, George Mitchell and editor-at-large of Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper, Rami Khouri.

    CNN International senior VP Rena Golden says, “Once again this edition of the Clinton Global Summit is tackling an issue that affects our audiences worldwide,” said . “By bringing together these distinguished experts, we hope to find some common understanding into what fuels so many of the world’s religious conflicts.”

    During his tenure as US President, Clinton was deeply involved in bringing peace to the Middle East, Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland. The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) has chosen mitigating religious and ethnic conflict as one its four major goals.

    CGI is a non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Each September, CGI convenes a meeting for global leaders including heads of state, non-profit organizations and business leaders to discuss challenges facing the world today.

    President Clinton’s vision in bringing together this group is to merge ideas from both the public and private sectors to devise a plan to identify and implement solutions. Over US$2.5 billion was committed toward concrete solutions for global problems at CGI’s conference last year. The forum takes place September 20-22 this year.

  • FCC schedules Kids TV hearing for 26 September

    FCC schedules Kids TV hearing for 26 September

    MUMBAI: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to reconsider its children’s TV rules in light of changes suggested by a group of broadcasters and activists. According to an Associated Press report, the commission has scheduled the issue for its 26 September open meeting.

    The organisation had issued new children’s TV rules for the digital age in 2005. But, after facing resistence from various sides, the body had stayed the effective date of the rules.

    As per the report, the commission is expected to approve some version of the deal, which heads off lawsuits filed by both kids-TV activists and media companies.

  • Pay channel rates: HC seeks government response

    Pay channel rates: HC seeks government response

    MUMBAI: The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the central government for its response to a petition filed by Star India challenging the Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) order capping pricing of pay channels at Rs 5 under conditional access system (CAS).

    The matter will come up for next hearing on 15 November. The court will examine whether Star’s fundamental right to do business in India stands affected by the price regulation.

    Star has the option to approach the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

    “Our writ petition has been admitted by the court and has been slotted for hearing on 15 November. We will only know then if our plea stands accepted or rejected,” says a Star India spokesperson.

    Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Star, argued that the regulation of broadcasting was beyond Trai’s jurisdiction.

    Star had filed an appeal in the court, challenging the basis of Trai’s recent announcement on pricing for CAS. The matter came up for hearing today.

  • Australian speedster Brett Lee all set to bowl Times Now viewers over

    Australian speedster Brett Lee all set to bowl Times Now viewers over

    MUMBAI: English news channel Times Now has roped in Australian fast bowler Brett Lee to present match analysis throughout the day, during the ongoing Malaysian Tri series and also the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 which kicks off next month. He will also be seen in a show League of Champions at 11.30 pm on the channel’s sports show The Game.

    Times Now says that it will tap into Lee’s cricketing acumen to provide urbane viewers with an in depth match analysis. Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami said, “Brett Lee is not only the world’s fastest bowler, but also one of the most dynamic personalities in world cricket. Getting him on the channel for these big tournaments is a coup and Times Now viewers will enjoy his candid analysis on television.”

  • Endemol expands presence with acquisition

    Endemol expands presence with acquisition

    MUMBAI: Global television format creator and distributor Endemol will acquire a 51 per cent stake in Germ, an interactive television format firm Callactive.

    It has also launched a new participation TV show in the US. The transaction in Germany is subject to the approval of the German anti-trust authorities. Endemol has options to further increase its stake in the future.

    Callactive specialises in call TV interactive television formats in Germany and Switzerland. Its customers include Viva Plus (Germany). Callactive is located in Munich and will serve as Endemol’s call TV platform for German speaking countries/areas. Callactive will continue to operate under the same name, headed by its current MD Stephan Mayerbacher.

    Meanwhile in the US, Endemol has launched a live participation TV show called Midnight Money Madness. The two-hour show went to air two weeks ago. This is the first time Endemol has brought its interactive television experience to viewers in the US.

    Endemol digital media director Job van Wagensveld says, “With the acquisition of 51 per cent of Callactive in Germany and the launch of Midnight Money Madness in the United States we are adding two important new territories to our participation TV activities. We are now operating successfully world wide in over 25 countries with more to come. We are very pleased with these developments and expect to grow our leading position in this business further in the coming years.”