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  • Is Raksha Bandhan par… Sirf shagun hi kafi nahin! ‘Content Innovation’ this Raksha Bandhan only on Radio City

    Is Raksha Bandhan par… Sirf shagun hi kafi nahin! ‘Content Innovation’ this Raksha Bandhan only on Radio City

    Mumbai, August 8, 2006: With a dash of fun, glamour, entertainment & excitement, Radio City, India’s premiere FM station, celebrates the sacred festival of Rakhi with a difference! Radio City in association with Cadbury India, presents an interesting reality show as part of the Raksha Bandhan
    celebration across the nation, thereby helping strengthen the thread of love embellished with sister’s affection for her brother.

    The Rakhi celebrations at Radio City were kicked off two weeks prior to Raksha Bandhan, through an exciting on-air contest wherein a lucky Radio City listener is selected as the RJ’s brother. The RJ hosting the activity is Lavanya in Mumbai, Richa in Delhi and Pooja in Lucknow. The winner matches several criteria that the RJ would ideally like in her brother including his nature, mannerism, temperament, likes & dislikes.

    On August 9, 2006 listeners too can enjoy the moment by tuning into Radio City as the winner prepares himself for a special Rakhi ceremony at the studio amidst much fanfare & festivity. What’s more! The event is made more special as the brother-sister duo exchange Cadbury Celebrations gift hampers and build a lifelong chord.

    On the festive occasion Mr. Ashit Kukian, Head Sales, Radio city said, “Radio City is known for pioneering innovative initiatives. We have always believed in maximising value for our clients through exciting offerings that easily integrate the product with appealing on-air content, supported on ground to facilitate a stronger bond with the listeners.”

    About Radio City:
    Radio City is India’s first and leading hit music FM radio brand. Promoted by Music Broadcast Private Limited (MBPL), the private FM network has captured the hearts of millions of listeners across Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Lucknow, Hyderabad and now Chennai. In the II Phase of expansion of FM Radio, Radio City has bagged the licences to broadcast in 16 more cities. Radio City will soon regale listeners in Jaipur, Coimbatore, Vizag, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Nagpur, apart from the smaller centres in Western India. Radio City broadcasts 24/7, using state of the art digital stereo FM
    for unmatched quality in signal strength, clarity and brilliance. Backed by expertise in programming, sales and marketing, Radio City is characterized by exciting shows that give it unmatched popular appeal. Innovative programming, vivacious radio jockeys and popular contemporary music uniquely position Radio City to deliver targeted audiences across India’s most important cities.

  • Divya Bhaskar to donate funds to Surat Flood victims

    Divya Bhaskar to donate funds to Surat Flood victims

    Mumbai, August 10, 2006: The Divya Bhaskar Gujarat Team will contribute a day’s salary alongwith the Bhaskar Group, contributing similar funds, to assist the victims of the Surat floods. 36 lakh residents of Surat have been marooned since Tuesday as almost 95 per cent of the city has been drowned in 10-15 feet of water.

    Divya Bhaskar has been the only newspaper that was printed and distributed in Surat during the last two days of the unprecedented flood situation. This has been largely possible, by the dedication and hard work of the Divya Bhaskar Surat team in-spite of suffering huge personal losses, ensured that the newspaper is brought out as compared to other newspapers who had a very skeleton print run today.

    Bhaskar Group is a 1700 crore business conglomerate with strong presence in Newspapers. Television, Entertainment, Printing, Textiles, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Oils, Solvents and Internet Services.

    The group has rocketed to the top of the print media industry in India with its flagship Hindi daily newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar, and the Gujarati newspaper, Divya Bhaskar. Brand ‘Bhaskar’ is today synonymous with success, quality, dynamism and ethics in millions of households across India and the corporate world alike.

    ***************

    For further information, contact::
    Amrita Sadhu, Euro RSCG PR
    Tel : 24937188, extn 259, Mobile : 9819622591

  • China hopeful of offering mobile TV for 2008 Olympics

    China hopeful of offering mobile TV for 2008 Olympics

    MUMBAI: China is preparing to launch mobile TV in time for the 2008 Olympics. Although 3G licences are yet to be distributed in China, this move that could serve as a big push for mobile television in Asia.

    Media reports indicate that China will be using the digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) standard for rollout.

    A report in Xinhua quoting China’s State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) said that transmission of TV signals to mobiles would be tested in the middle of next year.

    The satellite system will be activated in the first half of 2008 so that the Olympic Games could be projected to millions of mobile users across the country.

    China’s two biggest mobile telecom operators, China Mobile and China Unicom are expected to sign agreements at the end of the month with mobile phone makers to buy TV handsets soon.

    China has more than 400 million mobile phone users and the number is increasing by 5 million a month, according to the Ministry of Information Technology.

  • ESPN STAR Sports salutes Indian Sporting heroes on Independence Day

    ESPN STAR Sports salutes Indian Sporting heroes on Independence Day

    New Delhi, August 10, 2006: ESPN Star Sports, will showcase some of the most memorable moments in the history of Indian sports this Independence Day. Keeping up with the spirit of Independence Day, the leading broadcaster will relive glorious moments in Indian sports for viewers across the country in a specially produced programming initiative.

    Explaining the initiative, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd Managing Director R C Venkateish said, “ESPN Star Sports has always looked at initiatives to redefine its offerings to the audiences. This Independence Day, keeping up with the spirit of patriotism, we will be showcasing some of the most memorable sporting events in Indian history, the moments that have done India and Indians proud at the international level.”

    ESPN will showcase India’s cricketing glory against England, symbolic to India overturning the British Empire to attain Independence. The 1986 series, where Kapil Dev led and Vengsarkar inspired India won two Test matches; the 1971 series, where India’s spin trio had England in a web; the historic 1983 World Cup semi final and the record chase by Indians against England in the NatWest series final, the day will feature some of the best talent in some of the keenly contested matches in the cricketing history of India.

    Star Sports will be showcasing some of modern India’s finest moments with modern day Indian sporting icons such as Narain Karthikeyan, Shiv Kapur, Sonjay Dutt, Sania Mirza, Mahesh Bhupathi doing India proud at the international level at individual and team sports.

    The schedule as per date, time, event and channel are as follows;

    On ESPN –
    15th August (0800-1200) 1986, England vs. India, 1st and 2nd Test
    15th August (1200-1800) Headingly Special
    15th August (1800-2000) 1971, England vs. India, Test Series
    15th August (2000-2100) News (India and Asia)
    15th August (2100-2200) 1983 World Cup, Semifinal, England vs. India
    15th August (2200-2300) News repeat
    15th August (2300-0030) The Natwest Series, Final, England vs. India

    On Star Sports –
    15th August (0800-0900) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (0900-1000) 2006 Formula One- Narain Karthikeyan
    15th August (1000-1100) Volvo Masters of Asia- Shiv Kapur
    15th August (1100-1200) Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships- Sania Mirza
    15th August (1200-1800) India Glorious- Adelaide Special
    15th August (1800-1900) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (1900-2000) Philippines Open- Sneha
    15th August (2000-2100) Indian Legends- 1983 World Cup final
    15th August (2100-2200) Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships- Mahesh Bhupathi
    15th August (2200-2300) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (2300-0000) 15th Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup

  • Animax to sponsor World Cyber Games 2006 Asian Championship


     
     


    MUMBAI: With an aim to reach out to the Asian youth, Animax will be playing a key role in the World Cyber Games 2006 Asian Championship as its main sponsor.
     
    Sony Pictures Entertainment Networks Asia vice president programming and production Betty Tsui said, “Animax is proud to be associated with World Cyber Games 2006 Asian Championship as gaming is a prominent interest of Animax‘s youth audience and, as a brand, we want to connect with our viewers in their areas of interest and to inspire them to fulfill their passions and live out their dreams.”


    As the principal partner of this year‘s competition, Animax is creating an original production called CyberMax, a hip three-part entertainment series aimed at giving viewers an insider glimpse of the world of cyber-gaming.


    Apart from this, Animax will showcase four anime titles in a movie marathon before they are premiered on the channel at the World Cyber Games 2006 Asian Championship on 12 August. The movies, which will be screened are: Blood the Last Vampire, Samurai X – Director‘s Cut as well as the first two episodes of Blood + and Girl From Hell.


    Animax viewers around the region also had the chance to win exclusive backstage tours at the Asian Championships in Singapore through an on-air contest where three winners from Philippines and Malaysia will get to meet in person top gamers and find out what really goes on behind the scene of such a large-scale event.

  • Tata Sky and Zee Turner haggle on price

    NEW DELHI: Tata Sky’s talks with Zee Turner for its bouquet of channels have got stalled on the issue of price.


    While India’s second pay digital platform Tata Sky has evinced interest in the first two of the three bouquets of Zee Turner for Rs 42, the latter is insisting all its 29 channels should be taken.
     
    According to sources close to the negotiations, Zee Turner has conveyed that it’s ready to give all its channels to Tata Sky’s DTH platform for Rs 74 per subscriber, which is 50 per cent of the price that cable operators pay for the channels.


    Bouquet 1 of Zee Turner comprises Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee News, Zee Studio, Zee Bengali, Zee Gujarati, Zee Marathi, Zee Punjabi, Cartoon Network, Reality TV, CNBC, CNN, Zee Café, Zee Trendz, ETC, ETC Punjabi, Zee Jagran, Zee Smile, Zee Telgu and Zee Music..
     
    The second bouquet includes HBO, Pogo, Awaaz, VH1 and Zee Business. Zee Turner is soft bundling Zee Sports at a price benefit.


    The third bouquet, called Breakfree, consists of Zee Action, Zee Premier and Zee Classic, which air movies of different genre and are primarily available on Dish TV DTH platform.


    Interestingly, Zee Turner wants to keep Zee Sports out of the negotiations with Tata Sky, saying a deal for the sports channel — holders of cricket rights for matches to be played by India on non-ICC recognised venues — could be done separately.


    According to the sources, Zee Turner has reasoned that its demand is based on a recent ruling of a disputes tribunal in Dish TV vs Star case wherein Star was asked to make available its channel to Dish at Rs 27 per subscriber, which is 50 per cent less than the price cable ops pay.


    Zee Turner has further said that in the Dish vs Star case, when Dish had wanted select channels of Star, the Hong Kong-based broadcaster was unwilling to accede to the proposal.


    Extending the same logic, Zee Turner has conveyed to Tata Sky that it would have to take all its channels.


    However, Tata Sky is only interested in the first two bouquets of Zee Turner for a price of Rs 42 per subscriber per month.


    On August 8, while announcing the commercial launch of Tata Sky service in 300 cities, company’s MD and CEO Vikram Kaushik had admitted that talks with Zee Turner had not been concluded.


    Amongst the 55-odd channels being offered by Tata Sky presently to its subscribers, Zee and Turner channels like Zee TV, Zee Sports, Cartoon Network and Pogo and some third party products like HBO, Reality TV, Awaaz and CNBC TV18 are conspicuous by their absence.


    Country’s first pay DTH platform, the Subhash Chandra-owned Dish TV, boasts of 1.25 million subscribers.


    Pubcaster’s DD Direct+ claims a subscriber base of 3.5 to 4 million for its subscription-free service of free to air channels.


    Also Read:


    Tata-Sky approaches TDSAT against Zee over bouquet pricing


    Tata Sky launches DTH service; STB price Rs 3999, basic subscription Rs 200

  • Uttaranchal Tourism Board joins hand with BBC World to promote tourism

    MUMBAI: To boost the state tourism sector and to communicate that Uttaranchal is a preferred destination, Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board (UTDB) has tied up with the international news channel BBC World.

    An international electronic campaign has been launched for Uttaranchal, which will be shown on the BBC World.
    The team at BBC World had produced two advertorials focusing on the state’s key tourist attractions, adventure and spirituality, in order to attract its target audience of high-end international travellers. These advertorials have been launched in the UK and European beam, South Asia and Middle East beam and North America with effect from 20 June. The campaign is expected to run till October 2006, informs an official release.

    BBC World was chosen as the most suitable medium of communication to promote the unexplored attractions of the state of Uttaranchal in foreign markets based on proven research endorsing the fact that the channel’s viewership consists of a global audience with avid interest in long haul travel.

    The challenge of the brief provided was to create a presence for UTDB through a campaign, which reflected the state’s unique attractions. In response, BBC World provided a suitable advertorial and sponsorship package to highlight the distinct characteristics of the state, which appropriately engages the core target group of the high-end international traveller.

    BBC World also provided additional exposure to the campaign by airing the commercials on specific US Airways flights.

    “BBC World understood our requirements perfectly and the team was able to creatively do justice and turn our vision into reality. We are hopeful in building the profile of the Uttaranchal region as a holiday destination through this unique campaign and expect increased inbound tourist arrivals from key foreign markets in the upcoming season. With BBC World’s credibility and reach in our focus markets, we are happy to work with them as partners”, says Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board marketing and publicity director Arun Srivastava in the statement issued today.

    BBC World head of sales Seema Mohapatra comments, “We are proud to partner with the UTDB in producing this unique international electronic campaign for the state of Uttaranchal. Delivering successful campaigns to tourism clients has been one of our key strengths amongst many others and we are happy that the campaign has received encouraging reviews from across the globe. It is our endeavour to continuously bring to our clients a range of innovative and creative advertising solutions which reach their focus markets and target audiences worldwide and help them in building their brand on an international platform.”

  • Cable, DTH locked in ad war

    MUMBAI: The ad war between direct-to-home (DTH) service providers and cable TV operators has started. Soon after Dish TV ran a full page campaign on print asking viewers to stop watching cable TV, operators have retaliated with the tagline “Cable TV – Service at your doorstep.”


    The most obvious attack is on pricing. Dish TV, the ad says, offers all channels without the Star bouquet at Rs 300 per month. After adding up the 10 per cent licence fee and taxes (entertainment and service), the monthly bill in Mumbai will work out to Rs 412. Then there is the hardware and rental cost for the set-top boxes (STBs) which have to be paid in advance. Besides, there are no discounts for multi-TV homes, the ad states.
     
    Cable prices in the conditional access system (CAS) areas, on the other hand, will begin from Rs 77 per month for the free-to-air (FTA) channels. The pricing for the pay channels is yet to be decided as broadcasters have to fix the rates. As for the set-top boxes, the early bird offer is Rs 2000. “With judicial intervention and government regulation now being brought in place, you too will reap benefits of CAS once it takes off from 1 January,” the ad says.


    Regarding service, cable TV has run even on days of calamities. Most of the consumer complaints are pricing related issues which are linked to pay channel hikes. “Cable networks also provide internet service. How come you never faced price related issues when dealing with the same cable network,” the ad states.
     
    The cable TV industry is “geared to usher in a new digital cable revolution with over 140 channels, radio services, games and on screen electronic programme guides.”


    The cablewallah may have finally woken up to the competition from alternate digital distribution platforms. The battle, as they say, is just beginning.

  • Sony to launch ‘Man Mein Hai Visshwas’ on 18 Aug at 8 pm

    Sony to launch ‘Man Mein Hai Visshwas’ on 18 Aug at 8 pm

    MUMBAI: Yet another new show from the Sony stable is all set to hit the airwaves from 18 August. The one hour show Man Mein Hai Visshwas, produced by Creative Eye will be aired every Friday at 8 pm. The slot was earlier occupied by Deal Ya No Deal.

    Man Mein Hai Visshwas is about real life miracles evolved from man’s unshakable faith. Each episode will showcase experiences of people whose lives have changed after they experienced incidents that can be described as nothing but miracles. The show will have Nitish Bharadwaj (of Mahabharat’s Krishna fame) as the narrator of the show.

    Sony Entertainment Television COO NP Singh said, “Man Mein Hai Visshwas is a combination of mythology, drama and reality that will carve a niche for itself in the prime time band. This show incorporates short stories that are real and based on intense faith and devotion people have on a deity or temple. This unique blend of realism and mythology we hope will capture the viewers’ attention. The show in simple terms is all about unshakable faith that makes miracles happen.”

    Creative Eye director Dheeraj Kumar added, “With Nitish Bharadwaj playing the suthradhar for a show that blends mythology with real life, Man Mein Hai Visshwas will prove to be a very engaging show to watch out for amidst the saas – bahu sagas. It is also a subject that has never before been explored on television.”

    The show will also include real life experiences from renowned artists like Pandit Jasraj amongst others.

    Sony will unleash a six week on-air campaign on its network channels to build reach and frequency for the show. The print ads will be launched on 18 August in all Hindi speaking markets to create awareness. Apart from this, radio and cable will also be used to build frequency across all FM stations and Vividh Bharti.

    The channel is also planning an innovative ground activity to attract attention and create buzz closer to the launch day of Man Mein Hai Visshwas. What’s more, sweets will also be distributed outside temples along with the pamphlets of the show details. Many shop fronts will sport the branding of the show along.

    “We will also drive visibility for the show with branding at Ganapati Pandals across the city, which will be coupled with PR and communication activities that will help drive awareness and create buzz across the country. Apart from this, innovative on-air elements such as bugs, Aston bands and bumpers will be used to build frequency and visibility of promotion on the channel along with promotion across the SET network,” said Sony senior vice president and programming head Anupama Mandloi.

  • SPE crosses $1 billion in domestic box office receipts

    SPE crosses $1 billion in domestic box office receipts

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has surpassed the $1 billion mark in box office receipts for calendar year 2006, making it the fifth year in a row the studio has reached that milestone at the box office.

    The announcement was made by Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group chairman of worldwide marketing and distribution and SPE vice chairman Jeff Blake.

    Exceeding more than $1 billion for five consecutive years is a sustained record of box office strength matched by only one other studio, Warner Bros. During the past five years combined, no studio has performed better in North America than Sony Pictures Entertainment. Since January, 2002, the studio has released 37 top films. Sony was number one in market share in 2002 and 2004, was number two in 2003 and the studio is number one to date in 2006 controlling approximately 18 per cent of all North American ticket sales.

    Additionally, Sony is the only studio to exceed the $6 billion mark in domestic box office sales between 2002 and 2006.

    Contributing to the success of the 2006 slate are eight number one films: Columbia Pictures’ The DaVinci Code, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Click, RV, and Pink Panther, Screen Gems’ Underworld: Evolution and When a Stranger Calls, and TriStar Pictures’ Silent Hill. No studio has ever released more than nine top films in a single year. Other hits contributing to the studio’s success this year include Monster House, Benchwarmers and Little Man.

    “With the exceptionally strong slate Sony has remaining in 2006, we believe we will have one of the biggest years in the history of the motion picture industry. A year like this doesn’t happen by chance. The production team worked with some of the best filmmakers in the business to deliver a great line up of films in 2006 and the marketing and distribution teams have made the most of it,” said Blake.

    Sony Pictures expects to add significantly to the $1 billion figure during the remainder of the year with such highly anticipated upcoming releases as Screen Gems’ thriller The Covenant, Columbia’s dramas Gridiron Gang, All the King’s Men, Marie Antoinette and The Pursuit of Happyness, Sony Pictures Animation’s first feature-length family adventure comedy Open Season, Columbia’s horror thriller The Grudge 2, Stranger Than Fiction and Nancy Meyers’ romantic comedy The Holiday and Columbia and MGM’s James Bond action adventure Casino Royale.