ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • MTV and Nickelodeon to take on larger role at Paramount

    MTV and Nickelodeon to take on larger role at Paramount

    MUMBAI: Viacom Inc.s has announced that MTV and Nickelodeon will become full labels under the Paramount Motion Picture Group (PMPG) as part of a new structure designed to deepen their already successful track record with their core target audiences.

    The two former production companies, which previously operated as on-lot producers, will now join several other labels under PMPG’s umbrella, including Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage and Paramount Classics.

    “After successful 12-year stints as production companies at Paramount, we are going to upgrade MTV and Nick to full movie label status,” says Viacom president & CEO Tom Freston.
    “This will expand their role at Paramount, will better leverage their considerable talent and marketing capabilities, and will allow for smoother day to day management on the lot with strong connections back to the core brands. This move plays perfectly to our company’s unique strengths and will surely increase the positive momentum that we’re seeing at Paramount under the leadership of Brad and his team.”

    “MTV and Nickelodeon are two of the strongest brands in entertainment reaching families and young adults,” says Paramount Pictures Corporation chairman & CEO Brad Grey. “We look forward to great films and a great future with these two new labels at the Paramount Motion Picture Group.”

    “In partnership with Paramount, this new model represents a great opportunity to build on the growing success we’ve experienced making movies over the last decade,” adds MTV Networks chairman & CEO Judy McGrath. “We believe that together we can take these brands to the next level, attract the best talent and material across genres, and really tap into our strong relationships with kid, teens, young adults and families around the globe.”

    Additionally, Paramount and MTV Networks named veteran producer Scott Aversano President of MTV Films and Nick Movies, giving him responsibility for film development, production and acquisitions for the two film labels. Aversano will work on the lot, reporting to Paramount Pictures president Gail Berman. On all image- and brand-related matters for these pictures, he will also report to MTV Networks Music Group president Van Toffler and Nickelodeon and MTV Networks Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami, states an official release.

    Aversano will assume his new position effective immediately, transitioning from his current role as an independent producer for Paramount Pictures. Prior to his producing deal with Paramount Pictures, Aversano spent more than seven years with producer Scott Rudin, most recently as president of Production, the release adds.

    “MTV and Nickelodeon are household names with audiences in every corner of the world,” says Aversano. “I’m excited to embark on this new challenge to continue bringing movies to the marketplace that utilize Viacom’s unique strengths in targeted demographics.”

    MTV Films and Nick Movies will continue to release films targeted to their respective demographics; with Nick Movies releasing animated and family films, and MTV Films focusing on comedies, documentaries, urban fare and horror films for teens and young adults.

  • MGM makes science fiction available on iTunes

    MGM makes science fiction available on iTunes

    MUMBAI: Film and TV company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc (MGM) has announced it has made current episodes of the hit science fiction/adventure series Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis available for purchase and download from the iTunes Music Store (www.itunes.com).

    The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

    Effective today the first five episodes of Stargate SG1 season 10 and the first five episodes of Stargate Atlantis season 3 will be available for download and subsequent episodes for both series will be within 24 hours after airing on the Sci Fci Channel.

    “By making these popular series available through iTunes we’re able to extend the reach of the MGM brand and the Stargate franchise,” said MGM New Media Division executive VP Doug Lee. “We’re always delighted to enhance the consumer’s experience of our popular content and see this as a win all the way around.”

    The deal marks the first step in MGM’s strategy to expand its electronic distribution footprint globally with more announcements expected in the future. Since forming the New Media Division in April of this year and the recruitment of Lee to supervise it, MGM is now positioned to expand in the new media world, which will bring upside potential for the company’s library.

  • Cable blackout in Mumbai ends

    Cable blackout in Mumbai ends

    MUMBAI: Cable television is finally back in Mumbai after almost two days. However, movie channels, as well as Hindi entertainment channels Star One and Sahara One, remain on the blink.

    A compromise was reached late this evening after the Cable Operators and Distributors Association (Coda), which represents local cable ops, as well as representatives of the various multi-system operators, met Maharashtra home minister RR Patil.

    The cable fraternity’s contention has been that since they are only service providers, and not content producers, they require “clear cut regulation from the government for the telecast of movie channels.”

    According to a cable operator who preferred to remain anonymous, all the networks were restoring cable services barring those of the nine channels that triggered the imbroglio in the first place. “We will wait for the verdict, which will be heard tomorrow (Wednesday) by Justice Lohda (before deciding on the next course of action),” he said.
    Cable operators have filed an intervention petition in the Bombay High Court asking why broadcasters and direct-to-home operators were not being taken to task by the authorities. The petition is scheduled to come up for hearing tomorrow.

    Earlier in the day, cable operators were running a scroll informing viewers of the reasons behind the suspension of services. “Due to unprecedented raids on cable operators for carrying satellite movie and entertainment channels having adult content, all Maharashtra cable operators have shut down these channels till further directions from the High Court and commissioners. Kindly bear with us.” — Cable Operators and Distributors Association.

    The channel blackout was not total all over Maharastra though. Besides Mumbai, other parts of the state – such as Nasik, Pune, Thane and New Mumbai – were affected to varying degrees by the channel blackout. In Pune, for instance, the cable networks only discontinued the transmission of movie and music channels.

    Cable services were halted last evening after the Mumbai police raided cable TV control rooms and seized the decoder boxes of nine channels charged with showing adult content. Among these were Hindi and English movie channels (Zee Cinema, Star Movies, HBO, Filmy, Star Gold, AXN and Max), and Hindi entertainment channels Star One and Sahara One.

    Police said the operators were raided because they were showing adult films, despite there being a ban on them. At least three million homes were affected by the blackout.

  • Sopranos star Gandolfini inks production deal with HBO

    Sopranos star Gandolfini inks production deal with HBO

    MUMBAI: Extending his alliance with HBO beyond next year’s final episodes of The Sopranos, the three-time Emmy winner James Gandolfini has signed a three-year production deal with HBO.

    As per the deal, Gandolfini will develop projects exclusively for HBO and its specialty movie division, Picturehouse.

    The actor has also announced his plans to launch a production company called Attaboy Films with partner Alex Ryanhas.

    The biopic Hemingway will be Gandolfini’s first projects as a producer. Reportedly, Gandolfini and Ryan are also working on a documentary for HBO about US soldiers in Iraq.

    Gandolfini has won three Emmys for playing Tony Soprano. His noted works also include Get Shorty and The Last Castle.

  • Sesame Workshop expands opportunities for kids to play with ‘Sesame Street’ friends













    MUMBAI: Preschoolers will soon have more opportunities to play with Bert, Ernie, Grover and Elmo. Play With Me Sesame’s worldwide success has led Sesame Workshop to greenlight production of 26 new episodes of the interactive series. In addition, the series is one of the shows included in Sesame program blocks debuting in Poland, Hungary and Croatia.



    Play With Me Sesame encourages children to get up and play games such as Ernie Says (a la Simon Says) and Move and Groove with Grover along with their favorite muppets from Sesame Street. Broadcast in over 50 countries, the series is currently seen on such networks as Disney UK, Disney Asia, ABC Australia, YTV/Treehouse Canada, Cartoon Network India and Rai Sat Italy. The 104 30-minute episodes include a mix of new and classic Sesame Street segments that focus on fundamental concepts critical to reading, math and science, and encourage creativity and individual expression.


    Play With Me Sesame is one of the programs featured in new Sesame programming blocks in Poland, Hungary and Croatia. On Poland’s Minimini, the recently launched Sesame Nook includes Elmo’s World, Play With Me Sesame, Global Grover and Sesame English. In December, broadcaster Minimax will begin airing a Sesame block with Play With Me Sesame, Elmo’s World and Global Grover, in Hungary, Romania Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The three series will also be seen in Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Slovena, Serbia and Montenegro, starting in early 2007, in a block on broadcaster Magma.


    “The expansion of the Sesame brand through wonderfully interactive shows like Play With Me Sesame and Elmo’s World give children around the globe new ways to experience fun and learning in the way Sesame does it best. We are excited to bring more games to children with the addition of new episodes of Play With Me Sesame and thrilled that children throughout Eastern Europe will have the chance to interact with friends like Grover and Elmo,” said Worldwide Television Distribution vice president Jennifer Monier-Williams.


    Play With Me Sesame is produced by Games Productions Inc. in association with Noggin and Sesame Workshop. The series will be available to international buyers and co-producers at the Mipcom market at Cannes in October.

  • Star donates US$1.1 million to UNICEF’s Tsunami Fund

    Star donates US$1.1 million to UNICEF’s Tsunami Fund

    MUMBAI: Unicef has received a donation of US$1.1 million (HK$8.6 million) from Star for its tsunami recovery projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The donation will address the educational, developmental and health care needs of the children affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

    The donation cheque was presented by Star CEO Michelle Guthrie to Dr Robert Fung, chairman of the Hong Kong Committee of Unicef, and Charlie Young, ambassador of Hong Kong Committee for Unicef. At the event, Young also shared her experience of her visit to Sri Lanka shortly after the Indian Ocean tsunami, informs an official release.

    Disaster relief funds from around the world have been instrumental in providing children and families in Sri Lanka and Indonesia with basic necessities after the tsunami destroyed their ways of life in December 2004. Today, children are still depending on assistance in the areas of education, development and health care.

    In order to address these, US$550,000 of Star’s donation will be used for the School Reconstruction Programme in Ampara, Sri Lanka and US$560,000 for the Comprehensive Early Childhood Development and Health Care Provision Programme for children in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh) Province, Indonesia, the release further adds.

    Says Guthrie, “We are honoured that today’s donation will play a part in helping children in two of the worst hit areas to gradually put their traumas behind them. Our sincere hope is that by working together with Unicef through their tsunami recovery projects, the children will be able to lead fulfilling lives and look towards a brighter future.”

    Fung adds, “With the generous support of Star, I am sure that Unicef’s recovery projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia will be very successful, achieving Unicef’s aim to help affected countries to ‘Build Back Better’”.

  • Sopranos star Gandolfini inks production deal with HBO

    Sopranos star Gandolfini inks production deal with HBO

    MUMBAI: Extending his alliance with HBO beyond next year’s final episodes of The Sopranos, the three-time Emmy winner James Gandolfini has signed a three-year production deal with HBO.

    As per the deal, Gandolfini will develop projects exclusively for HBO and its specialty movie division, Picturehouse.

    The actor has also announced his plans to launch a production company called Attaboy Films with partner Alex Ryanhas.

    The biopic Hemingway will be Gandolfini’s first projects as a producer. Reportedly, Gandolfini and Ryan are also working on a documentary for HBO about US soldiers in Iraq.

    Gandolfini has won three Emmys for playing Tony Soprano. His noted works also include Get Shorty and The Last Castle.

  • Tata Sky adds four regional channels and introduces Actve Games

    Tata Sky adds four regional channels and introduces Actve Games

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky, the direct-to-home platform from Tata and Star Group has added four regional channels to its special introductory package of Rs 200 per month (inclusive of taxes). The DTH platform also introduces the fifth interactive service Actve Games.

    The four channels include Star Ananda, DD Chandana, DD Gujarati and DD Punjabi.

    The DTH company has earlier introduced interactive services such as Actve Newsroom, Actve Khabar, Actve Star News and an on-screen Guide.

    Actve Games, this dedicated interactive gaming service will be available free to all its subscribers. The service provides access to play multiple interactive games on television.

    According to an official release, the gaming service caters to all ages with the option of playing six exciting interactive games including Aliens, Trance, Solitaire, Cubix, Bug Blaster and Speed Spell on their television screen.

    This service termed as ‘easy-to-use’ can be played with the help of the Tata Sky remote, eliminating the need of investing in additional hardware, states the release. Further, to maintain the enthusiasm levels of its audiences, Tata Sky will refresh the games periodically.

    Actve Star News service presents the viewer with four screens in a single window allowing him to choose from current news, headlines, top stories and special features, at the press of a button. The service also scrolls text, allowing the viewer to read the headlines, weather updates of 35 cities and a constant update on the stock market.

    Tata Sky CEO and MD Vikram Kaushik said, “Services such as Actve Games and Actve Star News are perfect examples of how television today has transformed into an interactive medium, allowing viewers the opportunity to do more than just watch television. This is only the beginning, we will continue to introduce innovative services to enhance the entertainment choices for our subscribers.”

    Tata Sky recently launched its satellite television service across 300 cities in India on 8 August. Only 15 days from the launch and the service has already penetrated 2000 cities,the company claims.

    At present, the platform has on offer channels includes Star, Sony, Discovery, Disney, MTV, NDTV, ESPN Star Sports, National Geographic, Eenadu, TV Today, Asianet and many more.

  • MTV and Nickelodeon to take on larger role at Paramount

    MTV and Nickelodeon to take on larger role at Paramount

    MUMBAI: Viacom Inc.s has announced that MTV and Nickelodeon will become full labels under the Paramount Motion Picture Group (PMPG) as part of a new structure designed to deepen their already successful track record with their core target audiences.

    The two former production companies, which previously operated as on-lot producers, will now join several other labels under PMPG’s umbrella, including Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage and Paramount Classics.

    “After successful 12-year stints as production companies at Paramount, we are going to upgrade MTV and Nick to full movie label status,” says Viacom president & CEO Tom Freston.
    “This will expand their role at Paramount, will better leverage their considerable talent and marketing capabilities, and will allow for smoother day to day management on the lot with strong connections back to the core brands. This move plays perfectly to our company’s unique strengths and will surely increase the positive momentum that we’re seeing at Paramount under the leadership of Brad and his team.”

    “MTV and Nickelodeon are two of the strongest brands in entertainment reaching families and young adults,” says Paramount Pictures Corporation chairman & CEO Brad Grey. “We look forward to great films and a great future with these two new labels at the Paramount Motion Picture Group.”

    “In partnership with Paramount, this new model represents a great opportunity to build on the growing success we’ve experienced making movies over the last decade,” adds MTV Networks chairman & CEO Judy McGrath. “We believe that together we can take these brands to the next level, attract the best talent and material across genres, and really tap into our strong relationships with kid, teens, young adults and families around the globe.”

    Additionally, Paramount and MTV Networks named veteran producer Scott Aversano President of MTV Films and Nick Movies, giving him responsibility for film development, production and acquisitions for the two film labels. Aversano will work on the lot, reporting to Paramount Pictures president Gail Berman. On all image- and brand-related matters for these pictures, he will also report to MTV Networks Music Group president Van Toffler and Nickelodeon and MTV Networks Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami, states an official release.

    Aversano will assume his new position effective immediately, transitioning from his current role as an independent producer for Paramount Pictures. Prior to his producing deal with Paramount Pictures, Aversano spent more than seven years with producer Scott Rudin, most recently as president of Production, the release adds.

    “MTV and Nickelodeon are household names with audiences in every corner of the world,” says Aversano. “I’m excited to embark on this new challenge to continue bringing movies to the marketplace that utilize Viacom’s unique strengths in targeted demographics.”

    MTV Films and Nick Movies will continue to release films targeted to their respective demographics; with Nick Movies releasing animated and family films, and MTV Films focusing on comedies, documentaries, urban fare and horror films for teens and young adults.

  • TNS appoints Mezzasalma as head of internet, television and radio audience measurement sector

    TNS appoints Mezzasalma as head of internet, television and radio audience measurement sector

    MUMBAI: TNS has appointed Andrea Mezzasalma as head of TNS’ Internet, Television and Radio Audience Measurement sector (iTRAM), responsible for managing the global business.

    Mezzasalma will take over from Mike Gorton who has been with TNS for five years and played a key role in developing the iTRAM sector and consolidating TNS as an industry leader in TV and radio audience measurement, informs an official release.

    Gorton will be retiring from TNS this year but will remain with the Group as a consultant.

    Mezzasalma will be relocated from Milan to London, has a high profile in the global media measurement industry. He became the youngest partner in Eurisko, a leading Italian marketing information company, where he was pivotal in developing and marketing innovative technologies for audience measurement. Eurisko was acquired by NOP World in 2003, and more recently by GfK.

    TNS chief executive David Lowden said: “Andrea has an excellent track record as an innovator with a deep understanding of technology. With rapid changes in technology, media measurement is becoming more complex and TNS is responding to this challenge by developing more sophisticated models to enable data segmentation, digitisation and internet measurement. Andrea will provide valuable expertise in the technology and audience measurement fields to take the iTRAM team forward and deliver growth in this important sector.

    TNS has recently secured a number of high profile contracts across the globe including its appointment to the RAJAR/BARB London Portable Meter/Panel Development audience measurement programme and a pioneering TV audience measurement agreement in the US with Charter Communications. Andrea will oversee these projects and manage the teams involved in driving international plans forward, the release adds.