ITV

Category: Specialised and Niche

  • Spin TV: A real estate based channel to launch soon

    Spin TV: A real estate based channel to launch soon

    MUMBAI: Looking at investing in real estate? Well, now rely not only on a half an hour real estate based show on some channel, but tune into a real estate channel. Christened Spin TV, the soon to be launched free to air (FTA) channel will be headquartered in Mumbai, showcasing the real estate industry and its related topic based programmes.  The channel will be launched by Optimmus Media Network India, and has been conceived by its CEO Manish Rachh.

    Spin TV will not only provide platforms for promoting real estate information, market analysis, housing policies and advertisements for developers to sell their real estate but also provide important services like raising issues relevant to developers in government and non-government forums, suggesting policy changes, making representations via panel discussion, and giving the developers a unified front.

    The channel will act as a single point of information for the developer community for the latest developments in the industry and will also help members connect with experts who can offer specific advice.

    Set to go on air in the second quarter of this year, Spin TV will air a bouquet of programmes across genres of real estate, tourist destination, architectures, vastu and interiors. The channel has included programmes that introduces new concepts in living styles and provides information on dream home, real estate advisors, renovation ideas and latest trends in interior furnishings and so on.

    Targeted at the age group of 25 to 50, Spin TV will be distributed via all DTH, cable and satellite platforms across the western region of India. The channel is looking at airing original and engaging programming which can bring high audience involvement and viewer loyalty.

    OMNIL CEO Manish Rachh said, “The channel will be one of the key platforms for showcasing the vast growth potential of the real estate sector and introduction of their property that respond to viewers needs. The real estate markets in India have been developed to a phase of rapid growth in recent years and hence, television plays an important role influencing the real estate market which can have an effect on people’s understanding of the real estate Industry, which can then affect their actions and purchase behaviours.”

    “Spin TV will be driving traffic through our various targeted marketing strategies and partnerships. The channel is supported by its own portal www.spintv.in and mobile apps making it available on every device riding multiple cloud and content delivery networks. It is India’s first video support portal. It offers any device, any place video upload to the seller and a true video-on-demand facility for the prospective buyer,” he added.

    While the channel has been launched in the western region, it will be available in north and south and would also be introduced in Middle East and USA in a short span of time.

  • TLC launches new series ‘Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation’

    TLC launches new series ‘Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation’

    MUMBAI: TLC celebrates Indian curries with the culinary maestro Madhur Jaffery in Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation. The 10-part series follows Madhur as she travels across Britain, visiting local Indian and South Asian communities and reveals how it’s possible to sample the whole of Indian cuisine without leaving the British Isles.

    Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation will premiere on 2 June and will air every Monday to Friday at 8PM only on TLC.

    From London to Birmingham and Glasgow to Leicester, Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation sees Madhur creating her very own food map, witnessing first-hand how Indian food has been integrated into the national way of life and discovering why it’s constantly voted as one of the nation’s favourite foods.

    In Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation, Madhur showcases her favourite recipes with influences from all over the subcontinent: Punjabi, Goan, Parsi and Bengali amongst others. Madhur’s recipes reflect the vitality of the vibrant Indian culture, but stays true to her mantra that Indian food doesn’t need to be complicated.

    Rahul Johri, Executive Vice President and General Manager-South Asia and Head of Revenue, Pan- Regional Ad Sales & Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, “TLC continues to present the best and premium range of cuisine programmes from across the globe. This June, we have culinary legend Madhur Jaffrey in her new series Madhur Jaffery’s Curry Nation celebrating the British love affair with Indian cuisine.”

    In each episode, Madhur demonstrates how to cook incredible curry step-by-step and takes viewers through an array of amazing recipes. Madhur’s style of cooking is always innovative and contemporary – she gives some traditional recipes a twist like pairing Aloo Gobi with a British roast lamb.

    She also visits restaurants that create exciting new dishes, places of worship where traditional curries are served daily, and the homes of British South Asians, where she uncovers their different and varied culinary cultures.   Madhur discovers that although traditional recipes are to be found everywhere, new British versions of classic dishes are emerging too. Whether it’s the spicy, lentil-based specialties of Rajasthan, kebabs and kormas from Delhi, or coconut-infused curries from Kerala, viewers will get a chance to accompany Madhur on her very personal tour of the modern-day Curry Nation.

  • Animal Planet’s new series ‘The Wildlife of Tim Faulkner’ premiers 1 June

    Animal Planet’s new series ‘The Wildlife of Tim Faulkner’ premiers 1 June

    MUMBAI: Wrestling a saltwater crocodile, wrangling a deadly inland Taipan or milking a Funnel-web spider to make anti-venom; it’s all in a morning’s work for reptile park operations manager and wildlife expert Tim Faulkner. Then there’s the giant Galapagos tortoise to weigh, the baby wombat to feed, the flying fox to rescue and a new species of native bird to discover. That still leaves time in this passionate conservationist’s day to release a blue- tongued lizard, tag a wild platypus and save the Tasmanian Devil from extinction. Welcome to the wildlife of Tim Faulkner.

    Premiering June 1st, Animal Planet brings a new television series following the daily adventures of Australian wildlife expert, Tim Faulkner in Australian Reptile Park and beyond. Airing every night at 9 pm in June, each episode of THE WILDLIFE OF TIM FAULKNER captures his amazing energy, not only at the Reptile Park, but high in the hills of Devil Ark in NSW Barrington Tops, trapping rogue crocodiles in the Northern Territory and tagging wild platypus in their natural habitat.

    Tim Faulkner describes his real passion as “Australian wildlife, their management within zoos, the education of people who visit the zoos and their conservation within their natural habitat”.

    Now 32 years, Tim has been working in the zoo and conservation industry his whole life. Since volunteering at a Sydney Wildlife Park from the age of 14, Tim has worked with some of Australia’s rarest most endangered species and their species management programs within captivity.  Tim is currently General Manager of the award winning Australian Reptile Park, and has received accolades for his conservation work on Tasmanian devil breeding facility Devil Ark.

    Tim is playing an important role in the Tasmanian devil mainland breeding program, the Devil Ark.  The iconic Tasmanian devil is nearing extinction from the devil facial tumour disease. In Animal Planet’s series, viewers follow Tim as he discusses the devastating effect facial tumors are having on the animal and what the Reptile Park is doing to help. Tim is extremely proud that the Park has bred more devils than any other establishment.

    The series also introduces viewers to extracting venom from snakes and spiders. Tim’s work with the Australian Reptile Park’s venom program also sees him handle the world’s deadliest snakes and spiders to produce venom which is then made into anti-venom at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratory.

    THE WILDLIFE OF TIM FAULKNER will also see him moving a 4 metre alligator from one pond to another; entering an Alligator lagoon to retrieve eggs from some not so happy gator moms; repairing a leakage in a not-so-friendly crocodile’s pool; visiting a bat rehab centre; rescuing a funnel web spider and a rogue Death Adder; milking a rare King Brown snake and other awe-inspiring works at the park.

    Highlights of the series:

     

    · Australia Reptile Park is the only zoo in Australia committed to saving lives with a Venom-Milking Program in place for the past 50+ years, saving over 300 lives each year being the sole supplier of a variety of venoms, which is used for all snake and funnel-web anti-venom in Australia.

    To keep up the supply of venoms, highly trained staff of the Australian Reptile Park regularly ‘milk’ more than 300 snakes and 500 spiders that are included in the program.

     
    · Devil Ark is a Tasmanian devil breeding facility in the NSW Barrington Tops that is currently home to around 170 Tasmanian devils. Founder John Weigel, also owner of the Australian Reptile Park, built Devil Ark in 2010 to house large numbers of Tassie devils living in natural conditions.

    The species is under threat of extinction from Devil Facial Tumour Disease, an insidious contagious cancer that is transmitted by biting. Unfortunately for the devil, they bite frequently when feeding, socialising and mating, so the disease has spread quickly, reducing numbers by a massive 90% in some parts of Tasmania.

  • Star CJ Alive to soon start mobile commerce

    Star CJ Alive to soon start mobile commerce

    KOLKATA: Taking cue from various online retailers, Star CJ Alive, a home shopping channel, too plans to soon start mobile commerce.

     

    It is further learnt that the decision of the company is subject to the board’s approval and as soon as the television company gets the nod, it will start mobile trading. The company is in the process of launching its mobile application also.

     

    Star CJ Alive chief executive officer Kenny Shin says that the company is looking at mobile commerce as around 35 per cent of the traffic on its website comes from smartphones. “We are also developing mobile application for the customers who are keen to buy goods via their handsets,” he says.

     

    He further adds that the channel that was launched around four years ago is one of the fastest growing shopping channels in the country. “The television shopping industry in India is pegged at around Rs 2,000 crore and Star CJ Network India enjoys a market share of around 30-35 per cent at present,” Shin claims.

     

    On buying preference and trends, he says, “Looking at the change in the consumer behaviour in India due to the penetration of online shopping, we intend to strengthen our presence online and reach out to a wider consumer base.”

     

    The channel known to offer an array of products ranging from fashion, lifestyle, home appliances, kitchenware, digital services and lots more, also plans to sell travel packages, insurance products in the next two years or so. 

     

    In the past as well, the TV channel ventured into the array by creating awareness for ICICI Lombard and Tata AIG products.

     

    Going forward, the channel which has already crossed five million registered customer base, is looking at seven to eight million customers in the next two to three years, he concluded.

  • Get ready for extreme action with Joel Lambert in manhunt only on Discovery Channel

    Get ready for extreme action with Joel Lambert in manhunt only on Discovery Channel

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel is coming with its brand new series MANHUNT, featuring former Navy SEAL Joel Lambert in an extreme version of hide-and-go-seek. With this series Discovery Channel is all set to thrill its viewers as they can see Joel rescuing himself from the world’s most elite tracking team units in some treacherous terrains.

     

    The seven part series premieresevery night at 10 PM starting 19th May, only on Discovery Channel.

     

    Filmed on-location in the United States, Poland, South Africa, Philippines, Panama and South Korea, each episode of MANHUNT follows Joel as he is inserted into unknown territory with nothing but a basic survival kit and a canteen of water; he then has up to 48 hours to reach a pre-determined extraction point, while being pursued by a different tracking unit each week. Joel is given minimal supplies to survive—and anything else he needs, he must to find along the way.

     

    With cameras capturing the action from both perspectives, viewers will experience the high tension from both – Joel and the special operative teams. An expert in escape and evasion, Joel’s background has well-positioned him to prey on each unit’s hidden flaw—but evading highly specialized tracking units and combatting dehydration, hunger, and the elements proves to be a greater challenge.

     

    MANHUNT is produced for DNI by Discovery Studios. For DNI, Sarah Davies is executive producer and for Discovery Studios, Eddie Barbini and Brian Knappmiller are executive producers.

     

  • National Geographic Traveller India Magazine wins India Travelers’ Choice Awards 2014 by Tripadvisor

    National Geographic Traveller India Magazine wins India Travelers’ Choice Awards 2014 by Tripadvisor

    MUMBAI: National Geographic Traveller India, the world’s most widely read travel magazine published in India under license from National Geographic Society, by Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd, has been awarded the Travel magazine of 2014 by www.tripadvisor.com, the world’s largest travel community.

    National Geographic Traveler India Magazine won the India’s Travelers’ Choice Awards through a Survey which was conducted across the world, where each country used a panel of more than 5,500 TripAdvisor travelers to shortlist the brands/products in each category. A total of 95,056 travelers then selected their favorites from the shortlists and the winner was chosen.

    Ms. Niloufer Venkatraman, Editor -in-chief, National Geographic Traveller India said “I am absolutely, totally, delighted than in just two years we’ve managed to establish ourselves as the best travel magazine in India. This public acknowledgement from travellers, and endorsement from well respected brand TripAdvisor, is a huge feather in our cap”. She further added, “It’s great to know that the two years of sweat have been worth it. And our team continues to be excited about the next travel story. We love what we do, and feel gratified that we’re producing a magazine with a readers’ stamp of approval”.  

     

    Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Manas Mohan, Publishing Director, National Geographic Traveller India & COO, Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd. said: – We are overwhelmed to receive this award within two years of our launch. It is a great achievement for us and motivates us to keep up to our readers expectations and publish more spectacular issues for them”. He further added, “Over two years National Geographic Traveller India has given Indian families the best travelling experience through interesting photographs, stories, features and much more. We are glad that the inspiring narratives in our magazine motivates people to go out and explore more of the world”.

  • CRTC dismisses ATN’s complaint against Zee TV Canada

    CRTC dismisses ATN’s complaint against Zee TV Canada

    MUMBAI: The CRTC has dismissed the complaint filed by Asian Television Network (ATN) which had raised objections with the operations of Zee TV Canada. According to the compliant, Zee TV Canada, which fell in the third-language niche specialty category B service, was operating as a general interest service. In view of the complaint filed by ATN on 29 July 2013 against Ethnic Channels Group, the Commission has now given its decision in favour of ECGL.

     

    After posting the complaint on its website, the Commission received over 300 interventions. A vast majority of interventions supported ECGL’s position and opposed the position of ATN. A large proportion stated outright that Zee TV Canada’s programming does target women as a viewing audience. Others voiced general support for the service or characterized Zee TV Canada as family focused.

     

    “The overwhelming support we received from Zee TV Canada viewers has been truly heart-warming,” said Ethnic Channels Group CEO Slava Levin.

     

    “The complaint had no basis to start with, and we are glad that justice has prevailed,” added Ethnic Channels Group president Hari Srinivas.

     

    “We are pleased with the outcome of this decision and value the continued support of our viewers,” said Zee TV Americas business head Sameer Targe.

     

    According to ECGL, Zee TV Canada is adhering to its nature of service, and its marketing activities focus on that nature of service. ECGL alleged that the complaint filed by ATN is an attempt to entrench the privileged position of SATV. It argued that to reclassify Zee TV Canada as a general interest service would have the effect of significantly expanding the scope and impact of the above-noted buy-through requirement.

     

    The Commission examined the programming offered by Zee TV Canada with a view to determining whether a reasonably frequent viewer, in watching various programs broadcast on the service, would conclude that the service targets women or not. In this regard, and despite the differences in the public policy objectives behind the licensing of Zee TV Canada and W Network, the Commission has considered it appropriate to use W Network as a baseline for comparison in its examination of Zee TV Canada’s programming due to the considerable weight placed by both parties on comparing the two services.

     

    Having examined the programming broadcast on Zee TV Canada the Commission found that the majority of the programs broadcast are consistent with those that one would expect a niche service targeting women to air, and are comparable to those found on W Network.

  • NDTV Good Times announces the launch of “Check-Out China”

    NDTV Good Times announces the launch of “Check-Out China”

    MUMBAI: India’s youngest lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times announces the launch of their new travel show “Check-out China”. With an aim to travel and explore the ancient civilizations, the 5 part series on the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Hunan captures the delicacies and the destinations of China.

     

    Get a sneak-peek into the distinct side of China with chef-cum-foodie Aditya Bal along with travel junkie Neha Dixit. Watch Neha Dixit  ride up to a height of 600meters, strapped in a chair, just for a bird’s eye view of the city; while Aditya Bal chomps on the finger licking street food. The series will offer a 360-degree view of China, ranging from the mouth-watering food to the adventurous destinations, relishing the spicy food of Hunan to shopping for the most curious wedding dress in Guangzhou.
     

    Talking about the new show, Arati Singh, Channel Head, NDTV Good Times said, “  At NDTV Good Times we are constantly evolving our content and programming to bring alive the different facets of youth. Youth today wants to explore, experiment and discover spaces around them. “Check-out China” aims at providing just that with insights aboutfinger licking foods and crazy must visit destinations of the great land of i China.”

     

    The show premiers on May 10th  Every Saturday at 8:00 pm exclusively on NDTV Good Times!

  • Experience the extravagant life in TLC’s new show ‘Epic’

    Experience the extravagant life in TLC’s new show ‘Epic’

    MUMBAI: India’s favourite lifestyle channel brings an all new season of EPIC that will feature the most expensive, excessive and outrageous extravagances people indulge in. The series will follow passionate individual that create the best and biggest way of life from massive log homes to fascinating American castles to high-tech over-the-top bathrooms, rotating houses or even backyards with private racetracks or sport courts suspended over cliffs,  and more. No price tag is too high and no obstacle too great to keep them getting exactly what they want.  If they can dream it, they will make it happen on a truly EPICscale!

     

    EPIC will showcase the daydreamers who have taken their passion to another level with impressive prized possessions that involves expert craftsmanship, technology, and innovation. Premiering on May 16, EPIC will air every Friday at 9 PM only on TLC.

     

    With eye-popping price tags over the million dollar mark, the recreational vehicles (RVs) featured this season have been transformed into mobile man-caves and mansions and tricked out with high tech gadgets that make every mile an adventure.Joining RVs for a second round in the series are more episodes featuring the cr?me de la cr?me of log homes.

     

    Rahul Johri, Executive Vice President and General Manager- South Asia and Head of Revenue, Pan- Regional Ad Sales & Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “TLC continues to present the finest lifestyle experiencesto Indian audience. We are excited to bring some of the world’s most lavish possessions created by passionate group of individuals in our new series EPIC.”

     

    Step aside, living rooms and kitchens, the home has a new star! Bathrooms are the new hot spots of modern homes and in EPIC, we take a look at bathrooms with six-figure fixtures to ceilings with stars, to hot tubs that steal the show and space age technology that demand top notch engineering. Other brand new episodes include backyards that feature pro race tracks to full sport courts, zip lines and underwater caves, beach homes with two story windows, outdoor showers and indoor rivers, and the smartest homes ever – they follow voice commands, feed the cat, shut out sunlight and even automatically trap intruders!

     

    Viewers will also be amazed by EPIC’s ‘Home Builds’ episode that showcases a “flying saucer” house that spins, an underground dome and a 10-story tree house all of which are engineered and built by creative geniuses who never let reality dampen their wild imaginations.

     

    If those homes don’t impress you, maybe a private island and personal paradise will! From a very private Florida Key with a pier that cost half a million bucks to Frank Llyod Wright house with a rooftop helipad, to a 3,000 acre nature preserve in Wisconsin – that’s the size of almost 2,270 American football fields – these islanders are enjoying every aspect of their home living.

     

    Meet the passionate, determined and downright obsessed Americans who will stop at nothing to build the best, most elaborate places ever in some of the following episodes of EPIC:

     

    Episode 1 – RVs 2

    More Americans are taking to the open road in RVs than ever before, and the rigs are bigger and ‘badder’ than ever.  From a professional golfer who practices on a putting green inside his trailer, to a Hollywood star who ordered a double-wide soaking tub on his double-decker bus, life in these RVs is ingenious luxury on wheels.  

    Episode 2 – Bathrooms

    Bathrooms are the new “it” room of the house and people are going overboard to make these thrones fit for royalty.    From toilet  lids that open when you walk in the room, to showers that set their own water temperature and pressure to hand-pounded copper tubs worth thousands, bathrooms have gotten smart and sophisticated.  

    Episode 3 – Tech Homes

    The future is now in these EPIC high tech homes. Some are like being on a starship that answers voice commands and talks back to you; others make you feel part of a spy movie where the house protects you from intruders with dangerous gadgets straight out of James Bond.  

    Episode 4 – Backyards

    Backyards used to just have swing sets and wading pools… but not anymore. They’ve been transformed into five star resorts just outside the door. It’s all about fun and games, from a full size race car speedway to a complete replica of Fenway Park.  

     

    Episode 5 – Beach Homes

    Imagine living so close to the ocean you can hear dolphins and whales just outside your front door, or being able to walk along a sandy beach your backyard.  

     

    Episode 6 – Private Islands

    The owners of these private islands know what they want. Whether it’s the southernmost tip of the U.S. or the northern border just shy of Canada, an island in the Georgia marshes or the remote mountains of Montana, these owners are going the distance to get their very own piece of paradise.

     

    Episode 7 – American Castles

    You don’t need to travel to Europe to find truly amazing castles – there are plenty in Americathat run the gamut from Medieval to modern, and historic relics to contemporary compounds.

  • NDTV Good Times to launch its edgy new avatar at Shiro

    NDTV Good Times to launch its edgy new avatar at Shiro

    MUMBAI: Keeping in mind, the youth as the target, India’s English lifestyle TV channel NDTV Good Times has revamped itself to show a charismatic, vibrant new look. A slicker look, energetic anchors and edgier shows is what is planned to engage the gen Y.

     

    Innovatively, a hashtag sign has been introduced in the tagline to integrate social media with the channel name. #LiveYoung will define the channel. NDTV Good Times along with hangout place Shiro will run an online contest to shower four lucky winners with a chance to join the celebrity party. The Shiro and NDTV Good Times twitter handles will be running contests for the #LiveYoung party.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, NDTV Good Times channel head Arati Singh said, “With an increasingly maturing lifestyle space in India at an inflection point, and as pioneers/leaders in that space, we are redefining the lifestyle entertainment category codes by now catering to the youth and focusing on food, travel and fashion. Our content, look, feel and packaging will now clearly reflect this change. In the new avatar, the channel will take a fresher, edgier and more relevant approach to its programming targeted towards the young and the young at heart, and this association will also help us further our relations in the world of entertainment and hospitality.”