ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Games on demand TV network TVHead looks to gain momentum in the US

    Games on demand TV network TVHead looks to gain momentum in the US

    MUMBAI: Bringing high-quality casual games to broad television audiences, US firm TVHead has announced the details of its premier games-on-demand TV network.

    TVHead says that it opens up new revenue streams for American cable and IPTV operators by offering the nation’s first massively deployable games-on-demand network for cable and IPTV. This news is the culmination of 18 months of stealth development.

    The TVHead Games-On-Demand Network (TVHead) integrates into existing video on demand (Vod) infrastructure providing a uniform high-quality game experience to 100% of Vod-enabled households. The servicve will target nearly 60 million North American households that spent $11 billion last year to play games on consoles, PCs, the internet and wireless handsets.

    TVHead founder, CEO Sangita Verma says, “Casual gaming is a high-growth market that cable and IPTV operators do not adequately address today. TVHead was created to enable cable and IPTV operators to become a major force in the games industry. By offering a rich gaming experience to all of their subscribers today—not just the small percentage with high-end set-top boxes—TVHead allows operators to monetize gamers directly, and keep them in front of their televisions.”

    Operators that affiliate with TVHead have a chance to provide on-demand interactive casual games to their entire subscriber base, leveraging their distribution reach to become major participants in the gaming economy adds the firm.

    With new and updated games added daily, TVHead showcases a multitude of genres, including puzzle, arcade, card games, word, trivia, sports, and kids games that appeal to everyone in the family. The unrivalled programming lineup features blockbuster brands and classic favorites, including Space Invaders, Bejeweled, Diner Dash, Zuma, Texas Hold’Em, Solitaire, Backgammon, and many more.

    TVHead creates a casual gamer community, including high-score leader boards and system-wide multiplayer that allows players to compete with others throughout the country from the comfort of their living rooms. In addition, players may use internet and wireless devices to check their stats, taunt their opponents and compete for high-score bragging rights.

    TVHead’s two-tiered business model includes a free ad-supported offering that encourages subscriber loyalty while creating revenue streams from targeted advertising, and a premium games offering for subscribers who desire multiplayer options, advanced community features and special brand-name games. On-screen impulse subscription allows customers to purchase and play the service using their remote controls.

  • Nick to launch four new shows in May

    Nick to launch four new shows in May

    MUMBAI: Nick has a scorching hot line-up this summer. After launching Trollz in February, Gili Gili Gappa in March and Drake & Josh on 1 April, Nick is launching four new shows in May.

    This brings the tally of new shows on Nick in 2006 so far to seven, not to mention new episodes, a fully made-over programming schedule and marketing events.

    Nick India vice president and general manager Hema Govindan said, “The four new shows are in line with Nick’s programming plans to introduce more than 500 episodes of new programming for the kids this year. We’re also making some major changes to our programming grid so watch out for that. With a philosophy that puts kids first, Nick strives to keep the excitement alive for kids given their short attention span and quest for newer things.”

    First up, the Nick Jr. pre-school block sees a complete makeover with three new shows including Peppa Pig, Dougie in Disguise and Lazy Town all launching on 8 May.

    Peppa Pig is a cheerful pre-school show about a family of pigs. Peppa is a loveable, cheeky little piggy who lives with her little brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Peppa’s favourite things include playing games, dressing up, days out and jumping in muddy puddles. Her adventures in growing up and making friends always end happily with loud snorts of laughter.

    Dougie in Disguise is a pre-school show about Dougie, an ordinary kid. He loves to play with his sticker albums which turn into a living world through Dougie’s imagination. In each episode Dougie, with his viewers, meets new friends and enjoys exciting adventures in a unique environment, with songs and beautiful animated stickers. It’s a world of magic and wisdom where Dougie overcomes situations with his little dog while interacting with the audience.

    Lazy Town is a one-of-its-kind comic live action-cum-animation series about health and fitness for kids. Eight-year-old Stephanie has just moved to a strange new place called Lazy Town where people like to lounge and do nothing, where the word “healthy” brings her blank stares and the word “broccoli” can cause people to scream.

  • NBC to air back to back episodes of ‘The Apprentice’ on Monday

    NBC to air back to back episodes of ‘The Apprentice’ on Monday

    MUMBAI: For one night only, US broadcaster NBC will air back-to-back episodes of the business based reality show The Apprentice on 10 April.

    The candidates in the first hour hammer it out in the renovation business as the teams are given their seventh task – create an activity area in a local Boys & Girls Club as part of Ace Hardware’s charity program. In the second hour, the candidates launch a new pizza sandwich and a losing team gains an opposing teammate. In India, the show airs on Star World.

    In the first hour, Gold Rush tries to nail down a win when Lenny volunteers to be the project manager, hoping to prove to Donald that he can lead the team to victory – but he is troubled with managing a negative teammate. Michael, the project manager for Synergy, has a good concept, but drives his team crazy. The winners help make a child’s dream come true by partnering with the “Make A Wish Foundation,” while the losers face a hammering in the boardroom.

    In the second episode, the remaining candidates launch a new pizza sandwich for 7-Eleven, one candidate volunteers to switch sides to help out a losing team, while the team tries to make the biggest sale imaginable. The winners jet out of town to dine with US Senator Chuck Schumer, while the losers get grilled in the boardroom.

  • BBC’s broadband learning service for children begins a storytelling trial

    BBC’s broadband learning service for children begins a storytelling trial

    MUMBAI: BBC jam (bbc.co.uk/jam) the UK pubcaster’s new broadband learning service for 5 to 16 year olds, has begun a three-month Augmented Reality (AR) storytelling trial.

    AR is a concept which allows users to interact with virtual 3D objects in real time, by using their own hands, rather than a mouse or a keyboard.

    The trial will enable users to see themselves on a computer screen, holding and moving the 3D characters as they explore the specially-created story (bbc.co.uk/jam/trial/ar).

    AR works by mixing the live video from a digital camera with animated 3D models, which are made to appear in the hands of the user.

    This is achieved by special software which tracks patterns, printed on paper, in each video image. AR technology allows learners to literally pick objects off the page and explore them in a highly rewarding way.

    The animated characters are able to interact with other objects and each other; they are even able to walk off the page.

    Building on technology developments that have led to BBC using AR in the broadcast of BBC News and BBC Sport, the BBC is now able to bring the same technologies to the homes and classrooms of the public.

    To be involved in the first trial all users will need is a standard PC, a webcam and a broadband internet connection. Free software access will be provided and users will be asked to fill in two short feedback forms during the three-month pilot.

    This first trial uses a brand-new story by the award-winning children’s author, Rob Lewis. Written especially for five to seven year olds, it supports shared reading, at home or at school.

    During the trials there will be user guides, teacher notes, tutorials and technical support available and a space to share personal experiences with other participants.

    The BBC has been working with the collaboration of an open source community called AR Toolkit, to explore the use of the technology in broadcasting. They would now like to see it used in classroom and homes.

    The team has recently carried out two projects with teachers and pupils in the BBC’s 21st Century Classroom (21CC) – a digital learning centre in central London, dedicated to exploring creative and cutting-edge uses of technology in teaching and learning; they are now looking to gauge the general public’s reaction.

    If the trial is successful then the BBC hopes to launch further subjects for different ages to explore, learn and create. The pubcaster believes that AR has the potential beyond purely learning as a fun and initiative way of interacting with digital content in collaborative ways for both children and adults.

  • Zee bucks the trend as Sensex crashes

    Zee bucks the trend as Sensex crashes

    MUMBAI: The Sensex underwent a dramatic “corrective” drop of 157 points on 7 April but Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL), was among the few stocks that bucked the trend.

    ZTL, which closed the previous day’s trade at Rs 246.60 on the BSE, had opened the day on a strong note. Zee’s acquiring the telecast rights for one day international matches to be played by India on neutral venues over the next five years yesterday seems to have made the market hungry and it was just waiting for the next day’s trading to open to pounce on the stock. The buying spree even saw the stock price touching its 52-week high of Rs 270 (Rs 291 at NSE) before falling prey to the negative sentiment that gripped the market, around afternoon.

    The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ended the session at 11,589.44, lower by 1.34 per cent than its previous closing mark, while the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE) 50 stock Nifty index settled at 3454.80, recording a 56.10 points or 1.6 per cent loss.

    During the early day trade, the Sensex had surged past the 11,900 mark to a new lifetime high of 11,930.66. Just when it seemed that the12,000 mark was within reach, the Sensex took a beating amid rumours that the regulator had banned eleven foreign institutional investors from participating in the market. Consequently, ZTL also took a plunge from its day’s best Rs 270 to a rather poor score of Rs. 244.60.

    Then, after SEBI came out with a denial of that report, the stock made a timely recovery along with a few blue chip stocks which also regained some lost ground. ZTL finally saw it closing for the day at Rs 250.10 at the BSE, up by 1.42 per cent or Rs 3.50 higher than its previous closing mark. At the NSE, it closed at Rs 250.45, up by 1.42 per cent or Rs 3.50 than the previous closing mark.

    A total of 2 million ZTL shares were traded during the day, while the average number of shares traded per day during the last two weeks period is 1.5 million.

    According to broking analysts indiantelevision.com spoke to, the positive performance ZTL has been displaying in the recent times shows that the stock is on its way to reach a value that is more in conformity with the levels that the Sensex has reached. “ZTL is yet to reach its real value and speaking about the overall performance of the stock in the recent times, we can assume that it is in the process of realising its actual price at the Sensex,” says an analyst.

    “Acquiring the neutral venue International cricket rights might have helped the stock to buck the negative trend at the Sensex today. But, there are more significant factors that have been boosting the stock overall. The four-way demerger, the remarkable improvement on the programming front, the advertising rates consequently going up, all have been helping the stock to attract buyers,” he adds.

  • Content remains major issue for IPTV providers: seminar

    NEW DELHI: The industry is hyping IPTV in India as the next revolution, but has actually done little on the content side, said former member of Telecom Regulatory of India (Trai), DPS Seth.

    Speaking here today at IPTV India 2006 conference, organised by Bharat Exhibitions, Seth disagreed with some of the speakers before him saying that people who have been talking about IPTV have “failed to address the issue of content,” which could be delivered through IPTV.

    A certain section of the industry, especially the telecom companies have touted IPTV as a technology ready to ready to change the way Indians have been watching television.

    With its advantages over the current cable and satellite TV technologies, IPTV can be typically bundled with other services like video-on-demand (VOD), voice over IP (VoIP), or digital phone, and Web access, which are collectively called triple play.

    But, asked Seth, not many have given a thought to the type of content that should be generated to be delivered over this triple play platform.

    Seth¡’s argument was that unless the content issue is addressed — especially as in this segment content has to be customized — IPTV may languish.

    A report by Multimedia Research predicts that IPTV adoption worldwide will grow from 1.9 million users in 2004 to 25.3 million in 2008 and that the service provider revenue from IPTV is likely to jump from $ 635 million to 7.2 million by 2008.

    Various speakers at today’s IPTV seminar harped on strategies to tap this opportunity in India as the consumer is getting increasingly demanding.

    Some of the pertinent questions that were raised during the day-long conference were the following:

    What should be the policy framework that will govern IPTV in India?
    How will the interdependence between various service, technology and hardware providers work?
    Will it require further expansion of broadband spectrum?
    What are the operational challenges that would be faced by service providers in transforming their existing businesses models to the one suiting IPTV?

    Key panelists included Airtel CTO (mobility) Jagbir Singh, Sun Microsystems director (telecom) Kapil Sood, URStarcom director sales K K Peringhat, Alcatel South Asia Ltd vice president and head of sales, India, Fixed Communications Group Anuj Kapur, BSNL director (planning and new services) RL Dube and Siemens Public Communication Networks (Pvt.) Ltd MD Michael Kuehner.

  • Sahara One plans to raise up to $50 million

    Sahara One plans to raise up to $50 million

    MUMBAI: Sahara One Media & Entertainment Ltd has plans to raise up to $50 million in one or more tranches. The board, which met on 5 April, has given the green signal to offer and allot in foreign markets equity shares or other instruments like foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs).

    Sahara had bid around $176.25 million for the telecast rights to 25 one-day matches played by India at neutral venues for the next five years ($ 7.05 million per match). This means Sahara would have had to cough out $14.1 million for the two Indo-Pak Friendship Series matches to be held in Abu Dhabi later this month. But since Zee Telefilms bagged the rights, Sahara’s fund requirement would be less than $50 million in the immediate run.

    “It is just an enabling resolution for us to raise up to $50 million. If cricket rights would have come to us, our requirement to raise money would have been more immediate. We may raise the money in tranches. We haven’t decided when and how much money we are going to raise. All this will depend on how the business rolls out for us,” said an official in the company.

    Sahara has informed the BSE that its board has approved the issue, offer and allot in course of International offering, in one or more trenches and in foreign markets equity shares / preference shares / convertible debentures / convertible notes / FCCBs / secured premium notes (SPNs) and / or any securities convertible into equity shares at the option of the company and / or holder of the securities and / or securities linked to equity shares through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and / or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) up to a maximum amount of $ 50 million.”

    The board has also approved the calling of Extra Ordinary General Meeting of the company on 8 May to get the consent of shareholders.

  • NGCI, CCTV consolidate partnership

    NGCI, CCTV consolidate partnership

    CANNES: National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) and China Central Television (CCTV) have announced the completion of a two-part high-definition television documentary Inside the Forbidden City.

    NGCI CEO David Haslingden says, “We are delighted to partner with CCTV in producing a historically and culturally rich film for our global viewers this fall. It is a valuable step forward as part of NGCI’s commitment to developing local content everywhere and expanding our collaboration with CCTV”.

    Inside the Forbidden City brings the epic tale of China’s Forbidden City to a vast global audience. Until the early 20th Century, any commoner who dared enter the palace would pay with his or her life. Now, this historic two part series gives viewers unparallel access to the Forbidden Palace.

  • Foxtel, Mark Burnett Productions sign deal

    Foxtel, Mark Burnett Productions sign deal

    MUMBAI: Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) which specialises in reality shows has signed an output deal with Australian pay TV platform Foxtel.

    Foxtel will be able to show shows like the second season of Rock Star.

    The deal also covers seasons two and three of the boxing based reality show The Contender and season six of The Apprentice.

    Foxtel will also assist MBP in the Australian audition process for contestants to participate in Rock Star 2. Foxtel executive director of television and marketing Brian Walsh says, “Mark Burnett is truly a giant of television and Foxtel will now be the home to his hit series Rock Star, The Contender and The Apprentice. This deal will continue Foxtel’s ongoing strategy to offer our subscribers an increasing choice of exclusive content that is only available on our platform.”

  • TWI to acquire independent production firm Darlow Smithson

    TWI to acquire independent production firm Darlow Smithson

    MUMBAI: Sports content producer and distributor TWI has acquired the London based factual independent production company Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP).
    TWI, will finance the acquisition entirely with capital from parent company IMG. The acquisition significantly expands TWI’s non-sports production output, enabling it to become a market leader in high quality factual programming, as part of its continuing growth strategy.

    For DSP, the agreement enhances its position as one of the top global factual production companies and gives access to new opportunities and new technologies.

    Key to the acquisition is DSP’s outstanding worldwide reputation as an innovative, factual programming leader, delivering ground-breaking documentaries, series and docu-dramas with a growing annual output of more than 100 hours and an annual turnover of £20 million. In a global peer poll just released, DSP has been named as one of the seven most notable companies in the world in non-fiction production, selected for its inspirational and trendsetting programmes.
    DSP’s programme portfolio includes multi episode returning series I Shouldn’t Be Alive (Channel 4, Discovery US), Seconds From Disaster (NGC/NGCI) and Channel 4 documentaries The Falling Man, Blitz: London’s Firestorm and The Somme. DSP’s Touching the Void was the UK’s most successful ever theatrical documentary.

    TWI senior VP production and business development Alastair Waddington said, “We are delighted to acquire such a prestigious company as Darlow Smithson Productions, whose reputation in the factual arena inspires admiration all over the world. The respect that DSP commands from global broadcasters and clients is reflected in its growing stature, increased turnover year on year and more than 25 international awards to date. DSP harnesses some of the industry’s most creative and technical talent, and we look forward to its continued success and growth, while maintaining its distinctive identity as a producer of top quality programming.”

    DSP executive chairman and creative director John Smithson said, “This is an exciting opportunity for us at the right time in the growth of our company. The Darlow Smithson name remains – same people, same creativity, same editorial standards. But going forward, it will bring much more. TWI and IMG Media will provide us with an extensive international structure to help us grow DSP, including areas like new media where it has significant experience, strengthening our relationships with clients and enhancing our creative development.”

    IMG chairman and CEO Ted Forstmann said, “IMG is already a major player in worldwide distribution, rights management and multi-platform exploitation including new media, and the acquisition of Darlow Smithson Productions will enhance the company’s global assets and help us achieve our growth ambitions. Going forward, we are prepared to invest in development and production of content, and intend to pursue additional innovative business partnerships in order to maximise those goals.”