ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • New WWE magazine to launch on 11 July

    New WWE magazine to launch on 11 July

    MUMBAI: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will launch a new men’s lifestyle magazine on 11 July. The new WWE Magazine will focus on the lifestyles of WWE superstars and divas, their activities outside the ring, and what they like in movies, music, gadgets, fashion and other items of interest to young men in their twenties.

    “This is a complete rebirth of our publishing division. We’ve been planning on giving our audience a look behind the curtain for years and now is the perfect time to do it. The new WWE Magazine is what our fans won’t see on TV,” said World Wrestling Entertainment executive vice president global media Shane McMahon.

    A significant marketing blitz is planned for the magazine’s launch, with WWE using its television, live event and online assets to promote the new venture.

    WWE hired two publishing industry veterans to fold its preexisting magazines RAW and SmackDown into one new title.

    Bob Lee, the new vice president and publisher of WWE’s Magazine Group, is overseeing all distribution, marketing, and advertising sales. Prior to joining WWE, Lee served as publisher of Sync Magazine, where he launched the first men’s tech-tainment magazine. Previously, he was publisher of Gear Magazine and has worked at Discover, Elle and US Weekly.

    Lee says he was attracted to WWE because of the connection between the WWE superstars and WWE fans. “The connection is unmatched in any other property. Our fans are the ultimate consumers of goods which are affiliated with our superstars. The new WWE Magazine is designed to attract a larger segment of the WWE fan base, and to appeal to a wide range of advertisers that target readers of lad titles and other men’s lifestyle magazines. The agencies to which we’ve spoken have been very receptive to the new look and broader appeal of our magazine,” he said.

    Tony Romando, the new vice president and editor-in-chief for WWE’s Magazine Group, has built his career on successful magazine launches, including Jane and FHM and has been involved in the rebranding of magazines like Rolling Stone and Men’s Fitness.

    “I’m looking forward to the launch of WWE magazine as much as anything I’ve done in my career. One of the things that drew me to WWE was the company’s tremendous media presence, and how it uses that presence to create a 360 -degree approach to marketing,” said Romando.

  • India to host 2011 Cricket World Cup final

    India to host 2011 Cricket World Cup final

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council conference held in London has reached a final decision on certain key points pertaining to the 2011 Cricket World Cup venue distribition between India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

    While India will stage the final match, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will stage semi-finals. The opening ceremony has gone to Bangladesh.

    “It has been decided that all four should evenly play a part in hosting the major events of the tournament,” Pakistan Cricket Board director Abbas Zaidi has been quoted in media reports as saying. Pakistan hosted the final of the World Cup, last played in Asia 10 years ago.

    “Traffic will come to a stop in the four countries in 2011. There will be more than a billion television viewers in the sub-continent, and another billion in the rest of the world,” adds Inderjit Singh Bindra of India.

    The 2011 World Cup will see India staging 22 matches, Pakistan 16, Sri Lanka nine and Bangladesh six. The venues being considered for the final include Eden Gardens in Calcutta, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and the Feroz Shaha Kotla in Delhi.

  • Zee’s Q1 net shows a marginal rise of 5%

    Zee’s Q1 net shows a marginal rise of 5%

    Zee Telefilms along with its subsidiaries has registered what could be its lowest Q1 net profit in the recent past. The company showed a rise of a meagre 5% in its net profit for the first quarter of the year 2000-2001. The consolidated net profit for the current quarter is Rs 32 crore as against the corresponding figure of Rs 30.5 crore for the same period of the last year.

    Various reasons can be stated for this poor performance. To begin with, the unaudited results of the company reveal that a large amount has been written off for the total operating profit of 50 crore. Zee has hived off Rs 18.3 crore as “exceptional items”. Of these exceptional items, Rs 9.8 crore has been written-off on account of the film library sold by ZTL to its subsidiary. It can be mentioned that a lot of controversy was generated when this sale was shown by ZTL as a profit in its books in the previous financial year. And according to analysts, it is likely that the remaining amount from the sale of the library might be written-off over a period of time, which in turn might mean that Zee might show lower net profits for the remaining quarters as well.

    Also the company has accrued losses on account of its new interactive services like E-Connect and Zee Interactive Learning Systems. Zee has registered losses of 5.2 crore and 1.4 crore respectively on the two new subsidiaries.

    Interestingly, the company has shown other income as Rs 10.9 crore. This is a five times increase from the previous years figure of Rs 2 crore. Had it not been for this income, the consolidated net profit would have been even lower.

  • Zee Jagran sports new look; repositions itself

    Zee Jagran sports new look; repositions itself

    MUMBAI: Enriching Lives! That’s the new tag line of Zee Jagran, the spiritual TV channel from the Zee group, which is looking at repositioning itself.

    The new positioning statement – Enriching Lives – exudes the essence of Zee Jagran. Enriching Lives is a sum total of seven elements called hope, joy, peace, celebration, balance, silence and awakening. The right mix of these elements helps a person in experiencing life in its true colours.

    In order to break the perception that the channel is aimed at elderly people, the new positioning is targeted to all those who want to connect to their souls and live life to the fullest.

    In an official statement issued, the new positioning of Zee Jagran will be reflected in the overall aesthetics, look and feel of the channel, innovative channel packaging, colorful promos, all new range of programs and a lot more.

    The programmes designed for the channel are divided into thematic time bands, which will highlight the seven elements that lead towards enriching lives. These programmes are full of variety and cater to almost all age-groups and profiles of people who want to celebrate the festival called life, everyday.

    Starting from 2 pm, the first time band with the theme – Hope – showcases alternative healing programs like Tarot, The Good Food Show, Lifestyle Gurus, Beauty Mantras, etc.

    Joy will air at 2:30 pm showcasing serials like Ramayan, Vishnu Puran and Jai Ganesh. From 3 pm to 3:30 pm the channel will air Silence, which features programmes like Mano ya na Mano and Anant, which unveils the truth about various superstitions, evils and demons that affect life at one point or the other.

    The channel will also air shows like Celebrate, Jahan Jahan Ram Charan Chali Jahin (JJRCCJ), Namaste India, Home Healers, Green Mantra, mystical show Peace, Balance, Awakening from Monday to Thursday.

    Weekends will showcase inspirational movies. The channel recently aired hard hitting realities of the country in the form of documentaries made with the support of NGO’s like Prayaas, which are working hard for the upliftment of the underprivileged. Also there was a special feature on Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims, who are still struggling for their rights.

    The channel will also air special programmes on various festivals through a range of celebrations in the form of film festival, live shows and special features.

  • Texas Instruments holds seminar on adoption of mobile television

    Texas Instruments holds seminar on adoption of mobile television

    MUMBAI: Mobile sports fans around the globe are experiencing the first major international sporting event being broadcast live to mobile phones worldwide, from Europe to South Africa to North America, in the palms of their hands. Texas Instruments which manufactures wireless semiconductors hosted a press event yesterday 4 July 2006 on the potential of mobile digital TV in Munich, Germany.

    Today there are approximately 16 countries with Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) mobile TV networks in place. DVB-H is an open standard developed by the DVB Project with broad industry support among hundreds of companies worldwide. The advantages of DVB-H compared to other mobile TV standards were addressed in a panel discussion led by David McQueen, principal analyst for Informa Telecoms and Media, with representatives from TI and Nokia. The panel also discussed the potential of the emerging mobile Digital TV (DTV) market with on-the-go consumers who are hungry for content to fit their interests. Following the panel, attendees were able to experience how sports fans’ lives are changing with mobile TV from demonstrations of TI’s Hollywood DVB-H single chip and Nokia’s N92 mobile device.

    McQueen says, “2006 is the year the mobile DTV picture will start to become clear with strong industry traction and international sporting events serving as the catalyst for mobile DTV growth. In fact, Informa expects $300 million in operator revenue to come just from users accessing streaming and broadcast services in June and early July to watch their favourite team play in international competition.”

    In order for mobile DTV handsets to be embraced by the mass market, the service and the technology must be affordable. Nokia director, Multimedia Harri Mannisto says, “At Nokia we firmly believe that mobile DTV will deploy beyond the initial uptake the market is currently experiencing. From the numerous consumer pilots in which Nokia has been involved, it has become clear that mobile TV is a very exciting and interesting mobile service which consumers are ready to pay for.”

    Christian Dupont, European director for TI’s Wireless Terminals Business Unit, indicated that while the market’s real growth will take place in the next five years, major international sporting events are sparking shorter term development. “This year we expect a substantial increase in consumer awareness for mobile broadcast TV that will in turn drive broader adoption of mobile DTV with DVB-H.

    “We are seeing the impact the first live mobile TV broadcast of a major global sporting event is having which is evidence that the entire ecosystem has taken a major step together to bring mobile TV to consumers worldwide outside of initial trials.”

    At every level of the mobile DTV value-chain, carriers, handset providers, infrastructure owners, content providers, broadcasters and semiconductor suppliers are putting increased efforts behind their mobile DTV plans supporting DVB-H. Informa believes for good reason – they predict 210 million mobile TV subscribers by 2011 and that by then ten percent of all mobile handsets sold will have a broadcast receiver, with DVB-H accounting for 63 per cent of broadcast receiver sales.

    Demonstrations shown at the press included:

    * Nokia showcased live broadcasts on its innovative Nokia N92 mobile device, the first DVB-H enabled device in the Nokia Nseries portfolio.

    * TI demonstrated its Hollywood technology – the industry’s first single-chip mobile DTV solution on the market – and its high performance OMAP2420 processor to provide a crisp, clear viewing experience. This demonstration was displayed using a DLP Pocket Projector linked to a demonstration unit and used technology from TI’s partners PacketVideo and Silicon and Software Systems Ltd. (S3).

  • BBC commentator John Barrett to step down after 36 years following Wimbledon

    BBC commentator John Barrett to step down after 36 years following Wimbledon

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that commentator John Barrett will step down after 36 years following the Wimbledon Ladies’ Final. He will commentate alongside with John McEnroe and Tracy Austin.

    Barrett said, “It will be a great thrill. I have always enjoyed commentating on the Ladies’ Final and there have been so many great ones – producing champions like Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova – and I’m sure this year’s winner will be equally exciting.”

    Jimmy Connors, John Lloyd and Andrew Castle will commentate on the Men’s Final BBC’s Wimbledon executive producer Paul Davies said, “Jimmy Connors, John Lloyd and Andrew Castle did a great job last year and we want to stick with that successful combination this year.”

    In 2005 the Ladies’ Final was watched by 6.8 million viewers and the Men’s Final achieved 5.8 million viewers. In recent years, the BBC has used a number of different commentators to call the singles finals including John Barrett, Chris Bailey, Andrew Castle, Barry Davies and David Mercer.

    BBC Head of General Sport Barbara Slater said, “We always leave the decision on who will commentate on the finals until the second week and it’s always a difficult decision because of the strength and depth of the team. The two singles finals obviously have equal status and in fact last year’s Ladies Final lasted longer and achieved higher viewing figures than the Men’s Final.”

    He has worked with the BBC at Wimbledon since 1971 – and feels that now is the right time to enjoy some more time off-court. Barrett adds, “It’s been a great privilege to work at Wimbledon over the past 35 years, and to have worked with so many truly talented individuals in a strong BBC team has always been a pleasure.”

  • AXN to unveil action award winners on Sunday

    AXN to unveil action award winners on Sunday

    MUMBAI: One of AXN’s initiatives for the year is the AXN Action Awards. This seeks to reward work done by Bollywood’s action stars. The show which will be hosted by Dino Morea airs on 9 July at 8 pm.

    With Bollywood always having action as a part of a formula that is served along with drama and romance, it is only recently that there are blockbuster pure adrenaline racing action movies, a la Hollywood, breaking away from the sugary romances and the family dramas.

    Morea will go on the sets of each of the action stars to felicitate them with their new prized possession. The award categories include: Best Action Movie, Best Action Director, Best Action Sequence in a Movie, Best Action Actor and Best Action Actor in a Negative Role

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the channel received over 200,000 votes for different action categories in the first ever Indian Action Awards.

    SPE Networks South Asia director of marketing and sales, Rohit Bhandari says, “Indian cinema produces some of the best action heroes in the world. So how could AXN resist helping our viewers to felicitate the brawniest stars of them all? Thums Up and AXN are both brands that symbolize adventure, endurance and extreme challenge. The AXN Action Awards will be a never before seen comprehensive look at the action heroes, the movies and the people behind them!”

    The AXN Action Awards is presented by Thums Up with associate sponsorship by Mahindra Scorpio & Sony Ericsson K750i. The retail partner for the event is Inox, the multiplex chain.

  • MPA unveils anti-piracy campaign with Pele at the helm

    MPA unveils anti-piracy campaign with Pele at the helm

    MUMBAI: In conjunction with the ongoing 2006 Soccer World Cup in Germany, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) has released an anti-piracy public service announcement featuring Brazilian football superstar Pele.

    The public service announcement running on television networks during the World Cup tournament is aimed at increasing public awareness about copyright law and encouraging the public to reject pirated movies found online or on DVDs.

    Pele is one of the most beloved and talented soccer players of all time. He embodies the notion of fair play and love of the game and continues to be an inspiration for young athletes around the globe. In the PSA, Pele appeals to football fans to “score a goal against piracy”, explaining that piracy hurts working people, specifically the thousands of people who work to create movies, states an official release.

    The education effort represented by the trailer campaign complements ongoing government anti-piracy enforcement efforts, and in significant seizures of CD-Rs, VCDs and DVDs, adds the release.

    “We are honoured to have a distinguished teammate in Pele in our fight against film copyright theft,” says MPA India head Chander Lall. “Pele has a reputation for fair play and in this public service announcement he carries that message to people – urging them to do the right thing by renting, buying or downloading movies legally.

    “Enforcing copyright laws not only protects movies, music, computer software and other intellectual property but also stimulates and encourages more creativity. If the people of India do not respect intellectual property and encourage piracy by purchasing pirated copies of movies or downloading through Internet, investment in the creative industries will be lost.

    “Furthermore, foreign investors and distributors might decline to market new products in India. This would affect not only India’s international reputation, but also its economic and social development,” adds Lall.

    Earlier this year, Pele worked with the MPA to produce the anti-piracy PSA. Pele’s own movie, Pele Forever, released in 2004, was pirated and sold illegally on the streets in Latin America.

  • CNN-IBN to air lifestyle show ‘Living It Up’

    CNN-IBN to air lifestyle show ‘Living It Up’

    MUMBAI: News Broadcaster CNN-IBN is expanding its feature programme line-up with a new weekly show exploring the art of healthy living. The half-hour weekly show Living It Up, anchored by Jotica Sehgal, will kick off on 8 July at 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm. 

    Living It Up will have a reality segment The Weight Loss Challenge wherein four dieticians will team up with four overweight people and over seven weeks they will be challenged to loose as much weight. The team, which looses the most weight, will be the winning team. To add some excitement, participants and viewers will be given voting powers, according to an official release.

    CNN-IBN managing editor Rajdeep Sardesai says, “The hectic lifestyle that has become a part of our daily routine today is definitely a sign of progress but it takes a toll on our body, mind and soul. Through this programme we are aiming to share little nuggets of information to counter difficult times, manage problems, balance lives and endeavor to get the best out of life. At CNN-IBN, quality programming is a promise that we would like to deliver on a constant basis and Living It Up is a step in that direction.”

    Each week, the programme will showcase health, fitness and beauty solutions and the show will also highlight how preventive measures, healthy lifestyle and healthy food. Targeting the discerning viewers, Living It Up will also present capsules on fitness, beauty, parenting, spirituality and alternate therapy.

  • ITV acquires ‘Six Degrees’ from BVITV

    ITV acquires ‘Six Degrees’ from BVITV

    MUMBAI: ITV has inked an exclusive UK deal with Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) for the licensing of Six Degrees, a new drama series from J.J. Abrams (creator of Lost) to air on its flagship channels ITV1 and 2. This makes Six Degrees the first US series to be aired in primetime on ITV1 in nine years.

    Six Degrees follows New Yorkers from all walks of life, whose lives unexpectedly become intertwined. The show will air in the US on the ABC Television Network this autumn in a primetime slot, following Grey’s Anatomy. Six Degrees is a story that underlines just how small the world really is, and how someone, just five metres away might be shaping our future right now.

    The show stars Jay Hernandez (Friday Night Lights), Erika Christensen (Flightplan), Bridget Moynahan (Sex and the City), Dorian Missick (Lucky Number Slevin), Hope Davis (About Schmidt) and Campbell Scott (The Secret Lives of Dentists). Its executive producers are J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk (Lost, Alias), Stu Zicherman and Raven Metzner (Elektra), and it is produced by Touchstone Television.

    ITV director of acquisitions Jay Kandola said, “My aim was to get brand defining shows for the ITV Network. I am delighted that Six Degrees will be a contemporary exciting new addition to the ITV1 and ITV2 offering.”

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis added, “As US series continue to return to primetime around the world, we are delighted to be working with ITV to launch Six Degrees in primetime on ITV1. We are sure that the series’ production pedigree and strong cast will appeal strongly to a UK audience.”

    The agreement was closed by ITV’s Kandola and BVITV executive director sales, UK and Ireland Catherine Powell.