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  • MTV Networks acquires Atom Entertainment for $200 million

    MTV Networks acquires Atom Entertainment for $200 million

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom, Inc., has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Atom Entertainment, Inc., a portfolio of four leading online destinations for casual games, short films and video, for $200 million.

    Acquiring Atom Entertainment advances the company’s multiplatform strategy of building an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news and interactivity for targeted audiences. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter 2006.

    Atom Entertainment is a pioneer in online entertainment with four brands in both games and video: Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are two of the internet’s largest casual gaming sites, offering nearly 1,500 free and downloadable games. AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com are two premier film and video sites for short-form comedy, animation, drama and user-generated content.

    Adding Atom Entertainment to MTV Networks’ overall portfolio fits squarely with the company’s strategy of super-serving its targeted, global audiences with a relevant and innovative video experience online. Following MTVN’s recent purchases of XFIRE, Y2M, GameTrailers.com, IFILM and Neopets, this acquisition demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to being a premier multi-platform media company, uniquely positioned across every screen, states an official release.

    Viacom CEO Tom Freston says, “This acquisition is right on the money with our digital strategy. It adds great scale with users, improves our growing casual gaming position, and brings a world-class digital video library and a fantastic management team.”

    “Atom Entertainment is a best in class and dynamic property, with brands that have dedicated, passionate followers and content that resonates with our global audience,” adds MTV Networks chairman & CEO Judy McGrath. “This acquisition is in line with our business strategy of being a leader in the digital space and connecting with consumers on every platform and device they use.”

    Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are part of the large and rapidly growing business of online casual gaming and will complement MTVN’s roster of casual gaming communities, including Nick.com and Neopets. By including these two Atom sites, MTV Networks aspires to be a leader in the casual gaming business, with more than 50 million casual gamers playing more than 400 million games a month. In addition, AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com further expands the online video available across MTVN’s 24 broadband channels and the company’s user-generated content offerings, the release adds.

    “MTV Networks is a global leader in entertainment, and we are thrilled to join their family of brands,” says Atom Entertainment CEO Mika Salmi. “Leveraging MTVN’s platform will accelerate our growth and create new opportunities for both consumers and advertisers. We are proud of the business we’ve built and look forward to working together with MTVN to lead the way in the casual gaming and short-form video content business.”

  • Fox Interactive Media inks $900 million deal with Google

    Fox Interactive Media inks $900 million deal with Google

    MUMBAI: News Corporation’s Fox Interactive Media and Google Inc. have inked a multi-year search technology and services agreement whereby Google will be the exclusive search and keyword targeted advertising sales provider for Fox Interactive Media’s growing network of web properties including MySpace.com.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Google will be obligated to make guaranteed minimum revenue share payments to Fox Interactive Media of $900 million based on Fox achieving certain traffic and other commitments. These guaranteed minimum revenue share payments are expected to be made over the period beginning in the first quarter of 2007 and ending in the second quarter of 2010.

    The agreement calls for Google to power web, vertical and site specific search for MySpace.com and the majority of Fox Interactive Media properties. Google will be the exclusive provider of text-based advertising and keyword targeted ads through its AdSense program, for inventory on Fox Interactive Media’s network. Google will also have a right of first refusal on display advertising sold through third parties on Fox Interactive Media’s network.

    The integration of Google’s services including consistent search navigation across Fox Interactive Media’s network of properties is slated to begin in the fourth quarter 2006 and will provide users with access to Google’s industry leading search capabilities as well as text and display advertising from its global advertiser base.

    “Our partnership with Google underscores News Corp’s continued evolution to become a powerful force in the digital media marketplace. To have come this far and gained this much momentum in just over a year is truly remarkable. This is an exciting time in our history as a forward thinking media company and this is just the first of many steps we plan to take with Google. We look forward to expanding our relationship into many new areas over years to come,” said News Corporation president and COO Peter Chernin.

    “We believe that our innovative technologies will be of real benefit to Fox Interactive Media’s growing number of users. MySpace.com is a widely acknowledged leader in user-generated content and incorporating search and advertising furthers our mission of making the world’s information universally accessible and useful,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

    “This deal is the next step in our evolution as a significant interactive player. Forming a strategic partnership with one of the most innovative companies in the world to expand our business together, monetize our platforms effectively and leverage our combined scale will provide substantial growth for our businesses,” said Fox Interactive Media president Ross Levinsohn.

    “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to bring the same innovation to monetizing user-generated content that we brought to search advertising. We look forward to other opportunities to partner with News Corp. to the benefit of its community,” said Google senior vice president, global sales and business development Omid Kordestani.

    In addition to MySpace.com, Fox Interactive Media properties that will benefit from the Google integration include online videogame and entertainment site IGN, pro sports network Scout.com, site for movie lovers Rottentomatoes.com, men’s lifestyle site AskMen.com; as well as Gamespy.com, Gamespyarcade.com, Fileplanet.com, Direct2drive.com, Teamxbox.com, 3dgamers.com, Gamestat.com, Cheatscodesguides.com and Gamermetrics.com.

  • News Corp net profit up 9% at $ 2.3 billion for 06 fiscal

    News Corp net profit up 9% at $ 2.3 billion for 06 fiscal

    MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch’s media powerhouse News Corp has reported record numbers with full year net profit standing at $ 2.314 billion. This marks an increase of nine per cent over the $ 2.128 billion it achieved in fiscal 2005.

    Net profit for the quarter ended 30 June 2006 was $ 852 million, an increase of 19 per cent over the $ 717 million achieved in the corresponding quarter of 2005.

    Revenues for the year stood at $25.3 billion, up 6 per cent from last year’s $23.9 billion.

    The full year operating profit growth reflects increased contributions from nearly every operating segment led by 23 per cent growth at cable network programming and a $212 million improvement at Sky Italia.

    On the television side, the stellar performers were the Fox network in the US and Asian arm Star Group. Star’s fourth quarter and full year operating profit increased by 10 per cent and 12 per cent respectively versus comparable periods a year ago. Ad revenues, mainly from India, drove total revenue growth. Ad gains were led by weekend programming initiatives at Star Plus and by the growth of Star One and Star Gold.

    Other highlights include
    • Formed Fox Interactive Media and acquired several rapidly growing internet properties, including MySpace.com, whose traffic has more than doubled since the acquisition in September 2005.
    • Completed sale of investments in Innova, a Mexican DTH platform, for $285 million, TSL Education Ltd business for $395 million and Sky Radio for $215 million.

    Commenting on another powerhouse performance from his media conglomerate, chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, “Our fiscal 2006 financial performance once again demonstrates News Corporation’s ability to deliver superior near-term results while keeping our eye firmly focussed on the long-term with smart, strategic investments that we expect will accelerate our growth well into the future. We generated our fourth consecutive year of record operating profits with increases at nearly every one of our diverse segments; at the same time, we leveraged our strong balance sheet by investing in businesses uniquely positioned in the expanding digital world.

    “The success of our existing businesses was highlighted by Sky Italia’s first full year of profits — adding 513,000 subscribers over the past 12 months the broadcast network’s improved financial position — translating another ratings title into higher advertising revenues; the continued rapid growth of our established and burgeoning cable channels; and finally, by the considerable increase in contributions from DirecTV.

    “Longer term, we are intently focussed on developing ways not only to monetise our acquired internet assets, but also on how to exploit our vast content libraries as broadband access proliferates. From aggressively growing advertising across MySpace’s now nearly 100 million registered users to providing on-demand content to DirecTV consumers, we are keen on maximizing whatever opportunities technology provides. Our proven ability in taking advantage of new platforms and the momentum we continue to generate at our established businesses gives us great confidence as we head into fiscal 2007.”

    The television segment reported fourth quarter operating profit of $403 million, an increase of $59 million, or 17 per cent, versus the same period a year ago, and full year operating profit of $1.0 billion, an increase of eight per cent over fiscal 2005. Both the quarter and full year primarily reflect higher contributions from the Fox and Star, while the quarter also includes growth at the Fox Television Stations.

    At the Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC), fourth quarter and full year operating results improved dramatically versus fiscal 2005 as ratings momentum and higher pricing drove primetime advertising revenue growth. The fourth quarter results also included lower programming and promotion costs versus a year ago which included the launch of Family Guy and American Dad. For the full year, programming costs increased on higher license fees for several returning series, including American Idol and 24, which, along with House, led FBC to finish as the top-rated network among Adults 18-49 this past broadcast season. Additionally, fiscal 2005 included a loss associated with the broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIX.

    Fox Television Stations’ (FTS) fourth quarter operating profit increased slightly from the same period a year ago as FTS delivered record market share on primetime ratings strength and the continued success of local news.

    For the full year, operating profit declined by four per cent versus fiscal 2005, primarily as a result of higher production costs from the local news expansion. Despite softness in the overall advertising market, lower political spending and the benefit a year ago from FBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIX, revenues for the year were in-line with a year ago as FTS generated market share gains with a stronger prime-time line-up and continued success in local newscasts.

    The film segment reported fourth quarter operating profit of $200 million, up 83 per cent from the $109 million reported in the same period a year ago and record full year operating profit of $1.1 billion, up slightly from 2005. The current quarter results primarily reflect strong worldwide theatrical and home entertainment revenues, while full year results primarily include increased worldwide theatrical, pay-TV and free-TV contributions as well as higher syndication and home entertainment contributions from Twentieth Century Fox Television (TCFTV).

    Fourth quarter film results were largely driven by the worldwide theatrical success of Ice Age: The Meltdown, which has grossed over $640 million in box office to date, and by the home entertainment performances of The Family Stone, Big Momma’s House 2 and Cheaper By the Dozen 2. The current quarter also included the initial results and releasing costs for several successful theatrical releases including The Devil Wears Prada, which has grossed over $110 million in the US to date, and X-Men: The Last Stand, which opened to the highest domestic box office ever for a Memorial Day weekend and has grossed over $440 million in worldwide box office to date.

    For the full year, record film results were primarily driven by strong worldwide theatrical releases including Ice Age: The Meltdown, the Oscar winner Walk the Line, Fantastic Four and X-Men: The Last Stand and by the worldwide home entertainment performances of Robots, Walk the Line, Fantastic Four, Hide and Seek and Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith.

  • DirecTV US 2Q revenues increase 12% to $3.3 billion

    DirecTV US 2Q revenues increase 12% to $3.3 billion

    MUMBAI:The DirecTV Group Inc. today reported that the second quarter revenues increased 10 per cent to $3.52 billion and operating profit nearly doubled to $977 million compared to last year’s second quarter.

    The Group reported second quarter 2006 operating profit and net income both more than doubled to $741 million and $459 million, respectively, when compared to the same period last year.

    Earnings per share were $0.36 compared with $0.12 in the same period last year. These operating results include the effect of $253 million of equipment that DirecTV US capitalized during the quarter under its lease program, which was implemented 1 March 2006, according to an official statement.

    “Similar to recent quarters, DirecTV US generated excellent financial results highlighted by a 12 per cent increase in revenues to $3.3 billion, a 93 per cent increase in operating profit before depreciation and amortization to $977 million and a nearly tripling of cash flow before interest and taxes to $450 million,” said DirecTV Group president and CEO Chase Carey.

    “In many ways, the results in the quarter reflect our strategy to target higher quality subscribers. For example, although gross subscriber additions of 863,000 and net additions of 125,000 in the quarter were below expectations, it’s important to note that we added 11 per cent more higher quality gross subscribers in the quarter compared to last year,” said Carey.

    “This trend — which is driving both the top-line and bottom-line financial results — is primarily due to the ongoing changes we’re making to refine our credit policy and dealer network. These factors played an important role in reducing DirecTV’s monthly churn rate from 1.69 per cent to 1.59 per cent this quarter.”

    “In addition, customers are buying more premium services such as high definition programming and digital video recorders which is contributing to the strong ARPU growth of 5.6 per cent in the quarter.”

    On 1 March 2006, DirecTV US introduced a set-top receiver lease program primarily to increase future profitability by providing DirecTV US with the opportunity to retrieve and reuse set-top receivers from deactivated customers. Under this new program, set-top receivers are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives of three years.

    The amount of cash DirecTV U.S. paid during the quarter ended 30 June 2006 for leased set-top receivers totaled $253 million — $153 million for subscriber acquisitions and $100 million for upgrade and retention.

  • Walt Disney’s Q3 net rises on TV, films and theme parks

    Walt Disney’s Q3 net rises on TV, films and theme parks

    MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Walt Disney reported a higher quarterly profit from strong performances by its television, films and theme parks businesses.

    The company’s fiscal third quarter net income rose to $1.13 billion, from $811 million last year. Its total revenue increased 12 per cent to $8.6 billion.

    “Disney’s strong third-quarter financial results demonstrate the company’s unique ability to leverage great content across our many businesses. In recent months, we have released such highly successful creative product as Cars, High School Musical and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, all of which are having a positive impact throughout our company, from merchandise sales to the internet to home video to our theme parks By investing in our pre-eminent core brands and adopting new platforms to enhance the entertainment experience, we intend to deliver our content to more people, more often, in more places, and thereby also deliver long-term growth to our shareholders,” said Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger.

    The revenues of the Media Networks division of the company for the quarter increased 10 per cent to $ 3.7 billion and segment operating income increased five per cent to $1.2 billion. The growth in segment operating income was due to improved performance at Cable Networks, partially offset by a decline at Broadcasting.

    The operating income at Cable Networks increased $130 million to $ 969 million for the quarter primarily due to growth at ESPN. The increase at ESPN was driven by higher affiliate revenues from contractual rate increases, increased recognition of previously deferred revenues from higher ratings. During the quarter, ESPN recognised $ 106 million of previously deferred programming commitment revenues compares to $ 42 million in the prior-year quarter driven by new programming commitment provisions in affiliate contracts. The revenue increases at ESPN were partially offset by higher programming expenses, due to the new Major League Baseball rights agreement and increased costs associated with ESPN branded mobile phone services.

    Disney’s operating incomes at Broadcasting decreased $ 70 million to $ 183 million due to higher programming expenses at the ABC Television Network, the increased number of costs of pilot productions and costs associated with the launch of Disney branded mobile phone service, partially offset by increased revenue due to higher advertising rates at the BC Television Network.

    Parks and Resorts revenues increased 11 per cent to $ 2.7 billion and segment operating income grew 26 per cent to $ 549 million due to increases at both its domestic resorts and at Disneyland Resort Paris.

    Studio Entertainment revenues increased 17 per cent to $ 1.7 billion and segment operating income increased $ 284 million to $ 240 million.

    On the other hand, Consumer Products revenues increased sic per cent to $ 445 million and segment operating income increased 69 per cent to $ 105 million.

  • National Geographic offers podcasts

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster National Geographic now makes it possible for consumers to take a guided walk through the streets of Venice, experience an African safari and hear the week’s top science and nature news, with audio and video podcasts for free download.


    Available at www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts as well as on iTunes and Yahoo!, the first offering of podcasts aims to inspire audiences to care about the planet by tapping into a wide range of newly produced and existing content from National Geographic. Of the 10 National Geographic offerings on the iTunes storefront, eight are in the top 75 downloads for this week.
     
    Free audio podcasts from National Geographic include:


    – National Geographic News — The week’s top science and nature news, world music features, interviews with innovators, audio quizzes and a “Photos on the Radio” feature


    – Afropop Worldwide — Lively, in-depth reports on the music and culture of Africa and the Americas and their transatlantic connections


    – Traveler Magazine’s ‘50 Walks of a Lifetime‘– Some of the greatest walking tours, including San Francisco, Tribeca (NY), Paris and Venice, selected by editors of National Geographic Traveler and narrated by radio and television travel authority Rudy Maxa


    – National Geographic World Talk — Interviews with the world’s most compelling scientists, explorers, photographers and thinkers


    – The Best of National Geographic Magazine –The best of 118 years of adventure, cultures and creature features, including the award-winning Sights & Sounds


    – National Geographic Minutes — Minute-long reports on nature and science


    Free video podcasts include:


    – Wild Chronicles — Rare access to unknown places and in-depth reporting from the public television series Wild Chronicles, hosted by Boyd Matson and made possible by National Geographic Mission Programs and Lindblad Expeditions and presented by WLIW New York


    – National Geographic Video Shorts — Videos from National Geographic, including Mysteries of Lost Civilisations, The World’s Most Unusual Foods, Extreme Healing, The World’s Toughest Jobs and spotlights on countries around the world


    – National Geographic Atmosphere — Features video with ambient sound that exposes users to exotic settings and locations


    – National Geographic Spotlight — Featuring one-on-one interviews with superstars from around the globe. From Brazilian crooners to Senegalese superstars, Spotlight lets the musicians speak for themselves.
     
    National Geographic digital media VP content operations, Betsy Scolnik says, “For more than a century National Geographic has crossed borders in its storytelling. Podcasting is shaping up to be the ultimate tool for crisscrossing the globe, making it easy for everyone — from the armchair traveler to the on-the-go adventurer — to access great stories through video, audio, music and still photos.”

  • BBC, HBO to co-produce a crime thriller

    BBC, HBO to co-produce a crime thriller

    MUMBAI: The BBC and HBO have started co-production on the crime thriller Five Days.
    Five Days tracks five days following the abduction of an appealing and photogenic young mother, Leanne.

    This five-part drama serial stars Nikki Amuka-Bird, Hugh Bonneville and Charlie Creed-Miles. The story begins one, hot summer day when Leanne is taking her two young children to visit her grandfather.

    She stops to buy flowers at a motorway lay-by but then inexplicably vanishes, leaving her two small children waiting in her car, lost and far from home.

    They set off to find her only to go missing themselves. Their ordeal is captured on CCTV cameras and before long the family’s heart-stopping trauma is not only a complex police investigation but a major news story. As each episode unravels it becomes clear that nobody is quite as they seem.

    Producer Paul Rutman says, “Five Days is a gripping, multi-stranded story about the kind of fascinating crime which holds the front pages of our national newspapers and which terrifies and obsesses us in a compulsion to know more.”

    BBC controller, drama commissioning Jane Tranter said, “It is a privilege to be making such a major piece of drama from the brilliant Gwyneth Hughes, and we are delighted to be collaborating once again with HBO, continuing our strong creative relationship which has seen us working together on many projects, most recently Tsunami: The Aftermath and Rome.”

  • National Geographic offers podcasts

    National Geographic offers podcasts

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster National Geographic now makes it possible for consumers to take a guided walk through the streets of Venice, experience an African safari and hear the week’s top science and nature news, with audio and video podcasts for free download.

    Available at www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts as well as on iTunes and Yahoo!, the first offering of podcasts aims to inspire audiences to care about the planet by tapping into a wide range of newly produced and existing content from National Geographic. Of the 10 National Geographic offerings on the iTunes storefront, eight are in the top 75 downloads for this week.

    Free audio podcasts from National Geographic include:

    – National Geographic News — The week’s top science and nature news, world music features, interviews with innovators, audio quizzes and a “Photos on the Radio” feature

    – Afropop Worldwide — Lively, in-depth reports on the music and culture of Africa and the Americas and their transatlantic connections

    – Traveler Magazine’s ’50 Walks of a Lifetime’– Some of the greatest walking tours, including San Francisco, Tribeca (NY), Paris and Venice, selected by editors of National Geographic Traveler and narrated by radio and television travel authority Rudy Maxa

    – National Geographic World Talk — Interviews with the world’s most compelling scientists, explorers, photographers and thinkers

    – The Best of National Geographic Magazine –The best of 118 years of adventure, cultures and creature features, including the award-winning Sights & Sounds

    – National Geographic Minutes — Minute-long reports on nature and science

    Free video podcasts include:

    – Wild Chronicles — Rare access to unknown places and in-depth reporting from the public television series Wild Chronicles, hosted by Boyd Matson and made possible by National Geographic Mission Programs and Lindblad Expeditions and presented by WLIW New York

    – National Geographic Video Shorts — Videos from National Geographic, including Mysteries of Lost Civilisations, The World’s Most Unusual Foods, Extreme Healing, The World’s Toughest Jobs and spotlights on countries around the world

    – National Geographic Atmosphere — Features video with ambient sound that exposes users to exotic settings and locations

    – National Geographic Spotlight — Featuring one-on-one interviews with superstars from around the globe. From Brazilian crooners to Senegalese superstars, Spotlight lets the musicians speak for themselves.

    National Geographic digital media VP content operations, Betsy Scolnik says, “For more than a century National Geographic has crossed borders in its storytelling. Podcasting is shaping up to be the ultimate tool for crisscrossing the globe, making it easy for everyone — from the armchair traveler to the on-the-go adventurer — to access great stories through video, audio, music and still photos.”

  • Fox Interactive Media inks $900 million deal with Google

    MUMBAI: News Corporation’s Fox Interactive Media and Google Inc. have inked a multi-year search technology and services agreement whereby Google will be the exclusive search and keyword targeted advertising sales provider for Fox Interactive Media’s growing network of web properties including MySpace.com.
     
    Under the terms of the agreement, Google will be obligated to make guaranteed minimum revenue share payments to Fox Interactive Media of $900 million based on Fox achieving certain traffic and other commitments. These guaranteed minimum revenue share payments are expected to be made over the period beginning in the first quarter of 2007 and ending in the second quarter of 2010.


    The agreement calls for Google to power web, vertical and site specific search for MySpace.com and the majority of Fox Interactive Media properties. Google will be the exclusive provider of text-based advertising and keyword targeted ads through its AdSense program, for inventory on Fox Interactive Media’s network. Google will also have a right of first refusal on display advertising sold through third parties on Fox Interactive Media’s network.
     
    The integration of Google’s services including consistent search navigation across Fox Interactive Media’s network of properties is slated to begin in the fourth quarter 2006 and will provide users with access to Google’s industry leading search capabilities as well as text and display advertising from its global advertiser base.


    “Our partnership with Google underscores News Corp’s continued evolution to become a powerful force in the digital media marketplace. To have come this far and gained this much momentum in just over a year is truly remarkable. This is an exciting time in our history as a forward thinking media company and this is just the first of many steps we plan to take with Google. We look forward to expanding our relationship into many new areas over years to come,” said News Corporation president and COO Peter Chernin.


    “We believe that our innovative technologies will be of real benefit to Fox Interactive Media’s growing number of users. MySpace.com is a widely acknowledged leader in user-generated content and incorporating search and advertising furthers our mission of making the world‘s information universally accessible and useful,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt.


    “This deal is the next step in our evolution as a significant interactive player. Forming a strategic partnership with one of the most innovative companies in the world to expand our business together, monetize our platforms effectively and leverage our combined scale will provide substantial growth for our businesses,” said Fox Interactive Media president Ross Levinsohn.


    “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to bring the same innovation to monetizing user-generated content that we brought to search advertising. We look forward to other opportunities to partner with News Corp. to the benefit of its community,” said Google senior vice president, global sales and business development Omid Kordestani.


    In addition to MySpace.com, Fox Interactive Media properties that will benefit from the Google integration include online videogame and entertainment site IGN, pro sports network Scout.com, site for movie lovers Rottentomatoes.com, men’s lifestyle site AskMen.com; as well as Gamespy.com, Gamespyarcade.com, Fileplanet.com, Direct2drive.com, Teamxbox.com, 3dgamers.com, Gamestat.com, Cheatscodesguides.com and Gamermetrics.com.

  • Print coverage influences TV viewership of sports

    Print coverage influences TV viewership of sports

    MUMBAI: This afternoon the National Sports Seminar was held by the The Sports Journalist Federation of India.

    The speakers included Fed Cup coach Enrico Piperno, BCCI executive secretary Ratnakar Shetty, Ogilvy & Mather chairman Piyush Pandey and Tam Media CEO L V Krishnan.

    Krishnan looked at how coverage of sports in the newspapers influences television viewership. “Sania Mirza needs to thank two people – her coach and journalists. The coverage on her has been fantastic. When she played Serena Williams at the Australian Open recently it made front page news. Ratings soared in Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad.

    “Newspapers educate sports fans on a topic. They are then motivated to go to the television to watch the happenings. A recent event that benefitted in a big way from newspaper coverage was the football World Cup. In 2002 when the event was on the Indian cricket team was playing England at the same time. Cricket won comfortably then.

    “This time there was a 300 per cent jump in the viewership of the soccer World Cup. That is because of the huge newspaper coverage. There was 450,000 cms worth of print coverage which was more than what was seen during the 2003 cricket World Cup. For the common man, media is a seamless medium. They read about a sports event in the newspaper and then they gravitate towards the television.

    “At the same time you need a personality that captures the public’s imagination. Hockey has suffered in this respect. There is no one dominant personality who can give the sport a push as far as visibility is concerned. Soccer on the other hand is filled with famous names. Their pictures in the newspapers create a lot of recognition even in the smaller towns.”

    He also spoke about the effectiveness on advertising in sport. After all it is the one genre where in product placement blends in seamlessly. An example was Pepsi getting involved with a cricket series a couple of years ago. They branded the boundary rope with triangles. It worked well because the camera focus on the boundary rope was high. Replays also helped visibility. “By comparison if a character in a soap is shown drinking a Cola it looks out of place and disrupts the flow of the story.”

    Pandey noted that in India there are two great advertising vehicles Bollywod and sports (mostly cricket). the advantage that a sportsperson has is that he/she is a great body of character. “There is performance which kids aspire for and parents appreciate. There is the power of youth and also physical activity. Unfortunately in India, there is laziness both on the part of the agency and on the part of the sportsperson.

    “They do not sit together. If they did, then the scriptwriter would get a clear idea of what it is the sportsperson can and cannot do. Because there is lack of dialogue you get ads that ridicule a sports person. The Sehwag Ki Ma ads made a great batsman look like a fool. I can also think of just two ads where Sachin Tendulkar’s appeal was used well. One was the Pepsi mask ad. here the fact that he likes kids came through. Also Pepsi wisely did not let him speak,” said Pandey.

    He noted that a lot of great ads use sportspeople in a natural environment. An example is Sampras and Aggasi playing tennis for a Nike ad. At least the company is not using Sampras to sell diapers. It is upto the sportsdperson to also be selective of the kind of creative he/she appears in. Otherwise his/her brand value can go down.

    Shetty spoke about the different ways the BCCI is using money. One way is increasing the pay for domestic cricketers. This enables someone to look at cricket as a career even if he is not in the national side. The BCCI also gives pensions to retired cricketers. It is also looking to give women’s cricket a push.

    Then there is the stadium upgrade project. He admitted that the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai needs a facelift if it is to host matches during the 2011 matches. The BCCI will reimburse the various cricket associations upto Rs. 250 million on their renovating or building stadiums. The BCCI is also looking to create a corpus fund to help other sports. He added that the BCCI is going to inaugurate its head office at the Wankhede stadium in October. It is also looking to build a musuem where visitors can look at artifacts.