ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Star News to launch automobile show ‘Top Speed’

    Star News to launch automobile show ‘Top Speed’

    MUMBAI: Starting 20 August, Star News will launch an automobile handbook show targteing auto lovers and the layman alike, Top Speed. The show will offer a weekly dose of wheels, speed and panache and also news that can be used.

    The half-an-hour show Top Speed will proivde latest news on the newest cars & bikes and showcase new paradigms in automobile technology. The show will air every Sunday at 5:30 pm.

    According to an official statement, the Indian automobile sector is clearly on the boom right now with vehicle sales growing at a rate of 8-10 per cent year on year. With many international players setting shop in India and marketing their products here, the scenario is now so much more exciting, yet so much more vexing for the potential buyer.

    The show will include test drives, vehicle reviews, expert advice on vehicle maintenance, the latest must-haves in accessories, exclusive reporting on auto shows, and much more. It will be anchored by the Auto Magazine consulting editor Rajiv Mitra with Manpreet Waraich. The duo will look at a vehicle from the perspective of an expert and a layman respectively, in an attempt to provide a comprehensive opinion on the vehicle. The two will also contest each other to prove their point, resulting in innovative situations and some real ‘top speed’ action, informs the release.

  • AOL buys video game site GameDaily

    AOL buys video game site GameDaily

    MUMBAI: AOL has acquired GameDaily, one of the Internet’s leading independent video game publications, from Gigex, Inc, but did not disclose the financial terms.

    As part of the agreement, AOL will acquire both the GameDaily consumer website (http://www.gamedaily.com) and the industry-leading newsletter, (http://Biz.GameDaily.com).

    GameDaily will become the flagship video games brand within the AOL Games network, and will be united with content and community features currently found on the AOL Video Games website (http://www.aol.com/videogames), informs an official release.

    In addition, the AOL Video Games editorial team will be integrated into the GameDaily editorial staff to create the new GameDaily editorial team. The GameDaily Biz newsletter team will also operate under the newly combined AOL Video Games-GameDaily editorial team. Additionally, certain GameDaily content partnership agreements will be transitioned to AOL.

    “Video game sites have become a valuable resource for advertisers wishing to reach the young male audience, and GameDaily is a brand that resonates with these highly sought after consumers,” said AOL Games VP and GM Ralph Rivera. “We look forward to continuing to serve this audience, maximizing GameDaily content with AOL’s community features, and further expanding the AOL Games community.”

    “Video games are now a vital piece of the entertainment landscape along with music, video and online communities,” said Gigex Inc CEO Mark Friedler. “We’re thrilled to combine our experience delivering top-notch consumer content and leading business news with AOL’s tremendous reach to provide a new level of innovative entertainment content to online consumers everywhere.”

    According to the release, in addition to GameDaily.com, the AOL Games network also includes AOL Games (http://www.aol.com/games), destination for casual and downloadable games from leading publishers; AOL Video Games (http://www.aol.com/videogames), gamers’ leading online resource for video game news, previews, cheats and original programming such as the interactive Inside the Game feature; and the recently acquired Games.com, an extension of AOL Games’ best-of-breed casual games available at one of the most popular URLs among web users seeking games content.

    GameDaily is AOL’s fourth announced acquisition of 2006, following the acquisition of Userplane last week, Lightningcast, Inc. in May, and Truveo, Inc. in January. Other recent corporate acquisitions in 2005 by AOL include Music Now, LLC, Weblogs, Inc., Xdrive, Inc. and Wildseed, Ltd.

  • ICC to invite media rights bids for 2007-2015 in October

    ICC to invite media rights bids for 2007-2015 in October

    MUMBAI: In October, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will begin the process of selling the audio-visual rights for 18 ICC tournaments starting from the second half of 2007 till the World Cup in 2015.

    A statement put forth by the ICC informs that the period includes 18 ICC tournaments. There will be two World Cups, in Asia in 2011 and in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. There will also be at least three Champions Trophy tournaments. It will then focus on selling the sponsorship rights.

    Media reports indicate that the first two Twenty20 world championships to be held in South Africa (2007) and England (2009), also feature among the events.

    The current agreement with Global Cricket Corporation (a News Corp subsidiary), which began in 2000, ends in March/April 2007 with the World Cup in the West Indies. GCC had sold the India territory rights for ICC cricket to Sony Entertainment Television India.

  • MTV International launches multi-platform film competition for Aids awareness

    MTV International launches multi-platform film competition for Aids awareness

    MUMBAI: As part of MTV International’s ongoing HIV and Aids prevention campaign – Staying Alive, the company announced its first film competition, 48fest.

    It will be aired next month across all of MTV’s worldwide platforms – on air, online and on mobile phones.

    Held at the XVI International Aids conference in Toronto from 14-16 August, the competition gave 48 youths 48-hours to write, shoot, edit and deliver a short film of three minutes on HIV and Aids grassroots efforts. The winner will be crowned at the 48fest Awards Ceremony held at the Masonic Temple in Toronto on 17 August.

    MTV International VP, public affairs Georgia Arnold says, “48fest gives young filmmakers the unique opportunity of telling their own stories about HIV and Aids in their own voice. At MTV, we believe one of the strongest ways to deliver HIV and Aids prevention messages is to empower our viewers to talk about HIV and Aids, enable them to use their creativity, and give them a platform to share their voice with their peers. In this case, the platform includes our numerous TV channels, broadband services, websites and mobile TV channels located throughout the world.”

    MTV in Canada senior VP, GM Brad Schwartz says, “MTV in Canada is dedicated to discussing issues that are important to all Canadians. HIV and Aids prevention is one of those issues. We are extremely proud to be hosting this event. It is an exciting first step in our quest to create innovative and new ways to discuss and promote awareness and prevention of HIV and Aids in Canada.”

    The 48fest competition will be comprised of eight teams of six filmmakers from all over the world, who are also youth delegates to Aids 2006. Each team will be assigned to create a film that focuses on one of eight HIV and Aids-themed subjects, including condom use, delaying or abstaining from sex, machismo, testing, violence against women, discrimination, stigma, and vulnerable populations.

    The teams will each be accompanied by a professional Canadian filmmaker, who will serve as a mentor and will help the contestants to sharpen their skills across all areas of filmmaking.

    All of the shorts will be screened by the contestants, their mentors and Aids 2006 delegates before the awards ceremony to be held at Toronto. The films will be critiqued by a panel of judges including MTV US president Christina Norman, Canadian-born rock artist Fefe Dobson and CTV president of programming Susanne Boyce.

    The 48fest films will be made available for broadcast across MTV’s worldwide network of 50 TV channels, 14 mobile TV channels, 18 broadband services and 44 websites. In addition, the shorts will be compiled into a 30-minute documentary, Staying Alive – 48fest (working title), that will showcase the films as well as behind-the-scenes footage as the young filmmakers progress through their many stages of film production.

    The documentary will also air across MTV International’s TV and broadband channels. Offered rights-free and cost-free to third party broadcasters, the shorts and documentary will be available for worldwide broadcast in September.

    In addition, during the Awards Ceremony on 17 August, US based MTV News and Docs – in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation – will premiere Think HIV. This is a documentary in which young people from across the US tell their story of how HIV and Aids has affected their generation. Part memorial, part testimony, these short video vignettes –filmed entirely by infected and/or affected young people – paints a portrait of the epidemic’s impact on their lives. The half-hour show will make its television debut on MTV in the US and Canada the following day.

    It is the first such documentary created by MTV and Kaiser that features 100 per cent user-generated content produced by young people on digital video recorders. Think HIV is part of think MTV, a community where young people get informed, connect to each other, express themselves and take action on the issues important to them, their community and their world.

  • Simpsons, Mickey face a ban in China

    MUMBAI: Foreign cartoons will no more be a source of entertainment for Chinese kids. From 1 September, cartoon series produced outside of China will be banned from local broadcast between 5 pm and 8 pm. The move is an effort to give a boost to the local animation sector.


    According to reports, the ban, which hasn‘t been formally announced yet, is said to be in response to the popularity of anime in the Chinese market, and comes from other efforts by regulators to clamp down on international content.


    It also follows a 2004 edict mandating that Chinese cartoons had to account for at least 60 per cent of a channel’s animation output.
     
    The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has told stations that prime time TV, from 5 pm to 8 pm, will only be allowed to show Chinese cartoons. Among those banned are The Simpsons, Teletubbies, Mickey Mouse, Blue’s Clues and popular Japanese animation will take a back seat to Chinese animation.


    The first major step was taken in 2000, when SARFT requested that all foreign animations get its approval before being broadcast on Chinese TV. Since 2004 the administration has also built 15 animation industry incubators around the country.

  • Sesame Workshop promotes Schneiderman to manager of international TV distribution

    MUMBAI: Sesame Workshop has promoted Celia Schneiderman to manager international television distribution. Responsible for program sales in Asia, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and in-flight, Schneiderman will report to Sesame Workshop international television distribution vice president Renee Mascara.


    Schneiderman was recently international television distribution coordinator where she oversaw details of the Workshop’s participation at international television trade shows including Mipcom, MipTV, Natpe, LA Screenings and Asia TV Forum. She was responsible for generating sales reports and served as a liaison to the Workshop’s broadcasters.


    “Since joining Sesame Workshop, Celia has demonstrated a deep interest in learning all aspects of international television sales and has developed a strong knowledge of the market that will be an asset to our broadcasters,” said Mascara.


    Previously, Schneiderman was a research specialist at Cushman & Wakefield where she wrote market reports and provided market analysis information. She also served as an advertising service coordinator at Cahners Publishing.

  • BBC starts recruiting for upcoming Arabic television service

    BBC starts recruiting for upcoming Arabic television service

    MUMBAI: BBC World Service has started recruiting senior editorial staff for the BBC Arabic Television service to be launched next year.

    Salah Negm has joined the channel as news editor. He says, “We’ll be initially recruiting output editors – and one for newsgathering. We’re aiming to be fast, modern in style and outlook; strong on analysis with a wide international perspective. It will maintain the BBC values of accuracy, editorial independence, impartiality, while balancing a wide diversity of views.

    “BBC Arabic Television will have broad appeal – free from commercial, political and religious affiliations or pressures. We are now looking for the key senior staff to help us turn this vision into an exciting reality.”

    Applications for the current editor vacancies can be made through bbc.co.uk/jobs. Other journalist and technical roles are to be advertised later this year, and bbcarabic.com gives brief details.

    Negm explains, “The new channel will not simply be another satellite news station. It’s part of a wider vision to introduce a multi-media BBC Arabic Service – drawing on the great traditions and strengths of its radio and online operation to better serve audiences across the Arab world. We will be unique among international broadcasters in the Middle East, a region that witnessed a boom in satellite television news and media consumption in the last few years.

    “BBC World Service Arabic Television will supply high quality rolling news and information. Dynamic, relevant and modern, it will introduce to the Arab television viewers all the values that made BBC Arabic radio an icon in the region over nearly 70 years. It will explain the wider context of events for audiences in a region that is witnessing an extreme polarisation in views and attitudes; bringing into conflict the old and new, tradition and modernity.”

    BBC Arabic already broadcasts 24-hours a day through FM and online. BBC Arabic Television will draw on the BBC’s newsgathering network around the world and will expand its journalistic presence across the Arab world: latest technology will provide its reporters with greater mobility, speed and quality.

    BBC World Service head of Africa and the Middle East Jerry Timmins says: “The measured weekly audience for BBC Arabic radio is over 12 million and bbcarabic.com is one of the region’s most visited websites with monthly page impressions peaking earlier this year at 21 million and rising. With the television station to broaden our appeal further, BBC Arabic is very ambitious to increase its audiences across all media over the next five years.”

    BBC Arabic head Hosam El Sokkari said, “This offer across all media will be designed to cater for the different economic and social conditions across 21 countries. We have a unique opportunity with one service creating content across three media in the same place under a unified editorial leadership and with a shared technical backbone.”

    The BBC had announced plans to launch an Arabic Television operation last eyar as part of BBC World Service’s multi-media strategy for the next three years. BBC World Service is looking to make the its transition from being seen as primarily a radio and online operation to a true multi-media producer, capable of responding to audience demands for information via whatever medium they choose.

    Timmins adds, “The BBC Arabic Service is at the cutting edge of developments at BBC World Service. Our aim is to strengthen our appeal to our audiences using latest technology. With the Arabic Service’s trusted reputation in the Middle East and our new found ability to provide news and information across any device the audience chooses, the BBC will be in a unique position in the Arab World. I believe we have a real advantage given that we will be creating a carefully co-ordinated and compelling multi-media news service.”

    BBC Arabic TV will initially broadcast for 12 hours a day – available free-of-charge to everyone in the Arab World with a satellite or cable connection. A service of BBC news and information in audio and text in Arabic is planned for the remaining 12 hours of the day on the channel. Repeated audience research in seven capital cities across the region indicates that between 80 and 90 per cent of those surveyed would be ‘very likely’ or ‘fairly likely’ to tune in.

    Potential users cited the trusted nature of the BBC brand and its strong record in news coverage for their strong interest. The operating costs of £19 million a year for BBC Arabic TV will come from existing grant-in-aid funding from the UK government. The grant for 2006/2007 is £246 million.

    The newly redeveloped Broadcasting House – the BBC’s central London headquarters – will be the home of the BBC’s Arabic Television service. The whole BBC Arabic service, including the new Arabic language television service, will occupy two floors of the new purpose-built East Wing from launch.

    The service will create multi-media news and current affairs output across radio, television and online for Arabic speakers around the globe.

    Timmins adds, “Broadcasting House is going to be the main centre for the BBC’s national and international news operations when the redevelopment of the building is complete. I’m really pleased that the BBC’s Arabic Service will be the first part of the BBC’s global news division to move in. It will ensure the Arabic Service is close to the heart of the BBC’s overall news operation.

    “The BBC Arabic Service is at the cutting edge of developments at BBC World Service. Our aim is to to strengthen our appeal to our audiences using latest technology. With the Arabic Service’s trusted reputation in the Middle East and our new found ability to provide news and information across any device the audience chooses, the BBC will be in a unique position in the Arab World. I believe we have a real advantage given that we will be creating a carefully co-ordinated and compelling multi-media news service.”

    The new base at Broadcasting House for the BBC’s multi-media Arabic Service will process and edit news feeds from BBC bureaux and studios throughout the Middle East and worldwide – as well as handling material from news agencies and the public via mobile phones and email.

    It will be staffed by around 200 journalists working together to process material for radio, television and online.

  • MTNL in IPTV deals with Aksh Optifibre, IOL Broadband

    MTNL in IPTV deals with Aksh Optifibre, IOL Broadband

    MUMBAI: Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has signed content delivery network affiliation contracts with Aksh Optifibre Ltd and IOL Broadband Ltd, which would allow the state-owned telecom major to offer IPTV services to its subscribers.

    With this, MTNL has selected three franchisees for developing the content delivery platform. Time Broadband Services Pvt Ltd, India (TBSPL) was the first to have won the contract for both Delhi and Mumbai and has a seven-year non exclusive deal with MTNL.

    While MTNL has ensured a bank guarantee of Rs 5 million from Aksh Optifibre, IOL Broadband has guaranteed Rs 2.5 million. Aksh Optifibre has expressed intent to operate in Delhi and Mumbai while IOL’s interest is restricted to Mumbai at this stage.

    IOL Broadband plans to use US-based SeaChange for the IP video servers, storage and middleware, says a senior company executive. The digital set-top boxes (STBs) will be provided by UK-based Amino while the digital rights management solution will be from US-based Widevine.

    “We plan to invest $25 million in the early phase of the project. We have also an eye on extending to Delhi,” says the executive.

    Aksh Optifibre plans to use UTStarcom technology for its content delivery network, an MTNL official says. Bharti, which is conducting test runs in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi with multiple vendors, had also used UTStarcom technology, including the headend and the digital STBs.

    “The idea of having multiple franchisees is to provide content flexibility to our subscribers,” says the MTNL official.

    Time Broadband, meanwhile, has tested 560 STBs and is ready for commercial launch. Says TBSPL managing director Sujata Dev, “We have already deployed 150 STBs in the subscriber homes. We are increasing the number of channels from 30 to 100 on the test run by the end of this month. Star and Zee have agreed to offer the pay channels for this as our content protection system in place.”

    Time Broadband, which has US-based Kasenna as its middleware vendor, while Verimatrix Inc is providing content protection solutions, has so far invested $3 million in the project.

    MTNL is employing ADSL 2+ technology for running its IPTV services. For the video part, the telecom giant will be using MPEG-4 compression technology.

  • Gamelot gets the mobile game rights for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    Gamelot gets the mobile game rights for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    MUMBAI: Gameloft, a developer and publisher of games for mobile phones, has signed an exclusive multi-year agreement with Touchstone Television to develop, publish and distribute mobile games based on US broadcaster ABCs series Lost and Desperate Housewives.

    Gameloft president Michel Guillemot says, “Gameloft is proud to partner with ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television to bring the popular Desperate Housewives and Lost series to mobile gamers. We are excited to develop and deliver games based on these shows to over one billion mobile users worldwide.”

    The Lost and Desperate Housewives mobile games are scheduled for release in early 2007. In India, Lost airs on Star Movies while Desperate Housewives airs on Star World.

  • Disney reorganises global home entertainment division Buena Vista Home Entertainment

    MUMBAI: Less than a month after laying off 650 employees US media conglomerate Disney has announced a major restructuring of its home entertainment division.


    Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment International will be integrated into one global division — Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment (BVWHE).


    BVWHE president Bob Chapek says, “With the rapidly changing landscape facing the home entertainment industry, we need to embrace not only new technologies but the global nature of our business as well. This new organisation addresses the need for global strategies and allows for market customisation.”


    Chapek will lead BVWHE along with executive VP worldwide sales, distribution and trade marketing Pat Fitzgerald; executive VP of worldwide marketing, creative content and business development Gordon Ho, VP worldwide HR and communication Richard Ramsey and senior VP worldwide business and legal affairs Kristin McQueen.


    In addition to this core worldwide team, Bill Segil has taken on the newly created position of senior VP worldwide operations. In this capacity, he will broaden his operational scope to include all worldwide supply chain strategies under Fitzgerald. Andy Siditsky has been named senior vice president of Worldwide Creative Services & DVD Production and will continue to lead the development of worldwide creative advertising and DVD production under Ho.


    Siditsky will also add new programming to his responsibilities. Eric Maehara will serve as VP of worldwide communications and will manage worldwide publicity along with trade and home entertainment communications for the new division under Ramsey.


    Commenting on the new global team Chapek said, “Pat Fitzgerald is one of the most aggressive and savvy executives in this industry. I am delighted that he will bring his considerable talents to overseeing our worldwide sales and operational teams.


    “Gordon Ho has been an industry leader and major force in our key marketing and product strategies for BVHE titles. His creative and strategic contributions will be critical to our continued success in the global marketplace. Richard Ramsey has helped build the best team in the industry and will play a key role in building our global team. Kristin McQueen possesses a tremendous ability to quickly assess legal situations and gauge their commercial implications. We are confident that she will continue to successfully lead BVHE business and legal affairs in the global marketplace.”


    In addition to the worldwide team, the new division will incorporate regional teams to manage day to day operations in the markets. The three regions include North America, Asia Pacific/Latin America, and Europe/Middle East and Africa. Lori MacPherson has been named the new GM for the US. Daniel Solnicki has taken on the role of GM for Asia Pacific and Latin America.Julie Sneddon continues in her position as GM for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.


    Chapek adds, “Lori MacPherson‘s tremendous managerial and leadership skills will continue to drive the North American business. Her successful track record as a marketing leader will continue to innovate with consumer and trade programmes and keep us at the forefront of the market.


    “Strong regional marketing, sales and distribution executives are key to the successful integration of BVHE product into the marketplace. Daniel Solnicki and Julie Sneddon have demonstrated their formidable talents and abilities to integrate our marketing and sales strategies into diverse cultures. We are delighted that they will help lead our international organisations.


    “Entertainment is a rapidly changing business and with our dynamic and talented team in place we are poised to maximise our opportunities across the globe,” said Chapek.