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  • Hurray! enters wireless service pact with MTV China

    MUMBAI: Hurray! Holding Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese firm in wireless music distribution and other wireless value-added services has announced its decision to enter into a partnership agreement on wireless value-added services with MTV China.


    Under this agreement, Hurray! will become the official partner for MTV China to deliver wireless value added services to MTV audience interactive with MTV programs, states an official release.


    Commenting on the development, Hurray!‘s chairman and chief executive officer QD Wang said, ‘‘We are pleased to establish this important partnership with MTV China. Our wireless value-added services users have remarkably similar demographics with MTV audience. This partnership will not only give both companies a new way to better service its customers, but also further strengthen Hurray!‘s leadership in music related wireless products and services. We look forward to bringing best wireless music experience to MTV audience in China.‘‘


    Hurray! offers music and music-related products such as ringtones, ringbacktones and truetones to mobile users in China through SMS, IVR, RBT, WAP, MMS and Java wireless value-added services platforms over mobile networks and through the Internet. The company also provides a range of other wireless value-added services to mobile users in China, including games, pictures and animation, community and other media and entertainment services.

  • SET to simulcast key Champions Trophy & World Cup matches on Max, Sab

    SET to simulcast key Champions Trophy & World Cup matches on Max, Sab

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India is gearing up full on for the Champions Trophy in October and the World Cup in West Indies early next year. The target this time round is to be armed cap-a-pie, thus leaving no stone unturned to garner maximum eyeballs and revenues.

    With an aim to eat into the viewership of Doordarshan, SET will simulcast key India matches, the semi-finals and the finals of both tournaments on Max and Sab.

    While the feed on Max will be in English with its own set of commentators for Extraaa Innings, the feed on Sab will be in Hindi. “Today DD gets 30 per cent of its viewership from cable and satellite homes, where people prefer to watch the matches because of the Hindi commentary. Now with Sab having a Hindi feed, we will be able to eat into the C&S share of DD during the matches. It is a huge chunk of the market, which we want to own,” SET India executive vice president (ad sales & revenue management) Rohit Gupta tells Indiantelevision.com.

    “DD was getting its viewership for cricket matches not just from UP and MP but even from Delhi. Our aim is to own the entire Hindi C&S space with the upcoming tournaments in our kitty and that is the proposition we are giving to advertisers. In a way we are also looking at eating into the revenue shares of DD,” he asserts.

    Apart from this, a lot of brands that were buying air time space on Max, were also doing so on DD during the earlier matches. But now with a combination of Max and Sab, they don’t need to do that barring some brands like Lifebuoy, which have a specific rural focus, Gupta argues. The Champions Trophy, it is worth noting, will be held during the festive season (7 October to 5 November), which is when most brands will be active to the hilt. Even the World Cup in March-April will see a slew of brands upping their advertising before the peak summer months, he adds.

    Brands such as Maruti and Hero Honda, to name a few, who were buying 300 – 500 seconds of advertising time on DD, need not buy more than 100 seconds now because of the package that they will be getting in Max and Sab, is the point that Gupta and his team will be trying to drive home to advertisers in the coming months.

    “While the television universe extended to 35 million homes the last time the Champions Trophy was played, this time it has increased to 70 million homes. We expect to see Sab hitting a different level with this because of the sheer viewership,” says Gupta.

    What’s more, in order to encash on the scaled viewership post the Champions Trophy, Sab will be launching a slew of new shows. “The idea is to use cricket as a platform to take Sab to a different level,” he states.

  • Failure analysis committee on GSLV-F02 constituted

    Failure analysis committee on GSLV-F02 constituted

    BANGALORE: Following the unsuccessful launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F02) with INSAT-4C on board from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota on 10 July, a Failure Analysis Committee has been constituted by Isro.

    Former director of SDSC-SHAR and presently senior advisor at the Centre chairs the Committee, K Narayana will head the team. According to an Isro release, the 15 member Committee includes experts from academic and research institutions besides those from various Centres of ISRO.

    The Committee will review the performance of all subsystems of GSLV-F02 from lift-off to the termination of flight, identify specific reasons for anomalies observed and recommend corrective measures for future course of action.

    The Committee is expected to submit its report in a month’s time.

  • Innovative content & localisation a must to catch the ‘tough crowd’

    MUMBAI: Kids have been gaining the mind space of more and more broadcasters across the globe. And why not? These tech babies who are the fastest to adopt any new technology are also contributing to core family decisions and have a large chunk of spending power at their disposal.


    In such a scenario, kids broadcasters have to be that much more vigilant to cater to their needs unremittingly. At the second day of the Promax&BDA conference, kids programming took center stage.


    While Nickelodeon UK vice president and creative director Peter Drake spoke on how to cater to the “Tough Crowd” i.e. the kids; whereas Walt Disney Television International (India) director programming Nachiket Pantvaidya touched upon the issue of how to localize international brands.


    “Kids have changed the way they consume media. More and more kids now feel the need to be in control with all the gadgets that they are exposed to. Moreover, with parents being busy in their work, the need for a digital nanny has also become prevalent now. In such a scenario, we, as broadcasters have to make viewers see us as more than just a TV channel,” Drake said.


    He spoke about an interactive show – Me:TV! on Nickelodeon UK, wherein kids who have a webcam can host the show from their homes. “The aim was to utilise new technology to deepen the kids‘ experience of our brand. User generated content can be tapped to a great extent in the near future,” Drake said.


    Another point which came out was that there was a need for broadcasters to develop evolving communication so that it can work on all delivery platforms rather than just television, which in turn would throw up new revenue opportunities too.


    “In the end, it‘s still about having great content but it‘s just about how you present it that matter the most,” Drake concluded.


    Disney‘s Pantvaidya, on the other hand, dwelled on the various reasons why an international brand should localize itself to suit local sensibilities. “Localisation is cost effective and at the same time it is essential for building cultural relevance. As far as what needs to be localized in a channel to create relevance, it would be language, local faces, formats, narrative content and graphics,” he said.

  • Failure analysis committee on GSLV-F02 constituted

    BANGALORE: Following the unsuccessful launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F02) with INSAT-4C on board from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota on 10 July, a Failure Analysis Committee has been constituted by Isro.


    Former director of SDSC-SHAR and presently senior advisor at the Centre chairs the Committee, K Narayana will head the team. According to an Isro release, the 15 member Committee includes experts from academic and research institutions besides those from various Centres of ISRO.


    The Committee will review the performance of all subsystems of GSLV-F02 from lift-off to the termination of flight, identify specific reasons for anomalies observed and recommend corrective measures for future course of action.


    The Committee is expected to submit its report in a month‘s time. 

  • Ten Sports bags telecast rights for Uefa Champions League

    Ten Sports bags telecast rights for Uefa Champions League

    MUMBAI: Ten Sports has won exclusive telecast rights to the Uefa Champions League for the next three years.

    Telecast of matches will start in September 2006 and will include 1,000 hours of Europe’s leading football action, the Dubai-headquartered channel said in a press release.

    Ten’s acquisition for the next three seasons of one of the marquee events of the world football calendar marks the first time that Champions League soccer will not be seen on ESPN Star Sports in the Indian subcontinent.

    The Uefa Champions League 2006-07 will be the 52nd edition of the club tournament. The final will be played at Olympic Stadium, Athens, on 23rd May 2007. The live coverage of the Champions League matches on Ten Sports starts from 12 September till the final on 23 May 2007.

    There will also be daily special programs for the Champions League, bringing goals and action for every game played, states an official release.

    The release quotes Uefa CEO Lars-Christer Olsson as saying, “We are delighted to welcome Ten Sports as a new broadcast partner for the Uefa Champions League from next season. This agreement will undoubtedly benefit football fans throughout the entire Indian subcontinent. We look forward to working with Ten Sports to build up the Uefa Champions League in this important region.”

    Ten Sports CEO Chris McDonald offers, “This is a great step forward for us and further improves an amazing year for Ten Sports… We have now added the best club football in the world to our sporting line-up.”

    Adds vice-president programming Peter Hutton, “We will have our own live studio shows around each day of Champions League football, bringing goals and action from every game played that day, further enhancing the viewing experience for a tournament that is growing in stature every year and is by far the most competitive club football in the world.”

  • Disneyland Resort debuts first-ever video podcast

    Disneyland Resort debuts first-ever video podcast

    MUMBAI: Following the precedent of its popular monthly audio podcasts, the Disneyland Resort in Southern California has now introduced a new monthly series of video podcasts that will bring all the magic and fun of “The Happiest Place on Earth” to fans around the world via their desktop computer or video iPod.

    As one of the first organisations to successfully venture into audio podcasting (launching its first podcast in May 2005), Disneyland Resort has now debuted the first episode of its all-new Disneyland Resort Video Podcast series.

    In the video episode, available now on the internet, viewers will witness the official world premiere of the new Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and the re-opening of the classic attraction Pirates of the Caribbean, which has recently been enhanced. All the excitement of getting ready for this amazing event is captured in this mini-documentary.

    Viewers will walk the red carpet with the film’s stars Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, plus meet many of the die-hard Pirates fans. It’s a fast-paced look (six minutes, four seconds) behind-the-magic at one of the memorable nights in Disneyland history.

    Like the Official Disneyland Resort Audio Podcast, the new video podcast is a free monthly internet-based show accessible to a global audience via a “Disneyland” search on the iTunes Podcast Directory. Listeners can also subscribe to both podcast versions (audio and video) through the iTunes Podcast Directory to receive new episodes automatically each month.

    The monthly video podcast takes viewers behind-the-scenes of what’s new and exciting at the resort plus showcases stories from the resort’s 50-year legacy of creating magical moments for guests from around the world. Similar to its initial entry into audio podcasting, the Disneyland Resort enters the emerging world of video podcasting in its infancy — there are currently only 150 free video podcasts available on the iTunes Podcast Directory but interest in, and use of, the medium is rapidly increasing.

    Additionally, the newest episode of the Official Disneyland Resort Audio Podcast is now available online and takes listeners to all the excitement of the world premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which had its official bow at Disneyland on 24 June. Recorded live on the world’s longest red-carpet (2,000 feet from the beginning of Main Street, USA to the riverfront in New Orleans Square) this podcast (38 minutes, 50 seconds) features an array of segments, including:

    Interviews on the red carpet with Pirates film producer Jerry Bruckheimer, actor Bill Nighy (Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man’s Chest) and Disney CEO Bob Iger.

    Actor Johnny Depp encounters the newly added Captain Jack Sparrow for the first time inside the recently enhanced Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

    Walt Disney himself in a very rare clip from a 1965 press conference at WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) where he describes his vision for Pirates of the Caribbean, the use of models in the creation of the attraction and his description of Imagineering.

    A new interview with Jason Surrell, Disney Imagineer and author of the book Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies.

    An encounter with one of the fans of the Official Disneyland Resort Podcast.

    A meeting with two diehard Pirates fans who traveled all the way from Atlanta, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama, to visit Disneyland and participate in the premiere.

    Meet a Disneyland Cast Member who was so enthralled with the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl that she has become a bona fide Pirate historian.

    A five-year old Pirate fan gives the newly enhanced attraction a “Thumbs-Up!”

    Premiere recap and attraction overview from author and Disney historian Tim O’Day.

    Achieving a rating of four-and-a half stars out of a possible perfect five on the iTunes Podcast Directory, the Official Disneyland Resort Audio Podcast continues to be a hit with listeners. Each episode features an engaging mix of original programming recorded live throughout the resort including locations in Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney District and the resort’s three hotels — Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel — creating a “you are there” audio experience.

  • Synovate announces global media research services expansion

    Synovate announces global media research services expansion

    MUMBAI: Leading global research firm Synovate has announced an expansion of its media research services. The new global group will be based in London and led by Steve Garton, currently director, Media Research for Synovate in Asia Pacific.

    Global CEO for Synovate, Adrian Chedore, said that the move recognised media owners and media specialists need international solutions and best practices. “Many of our media clients are global and, by mirroring their operations, Synovate will be better able to meet and anticipate their needs.

    “Media audiences are changing at a spectacular speed, so this move will keep us across the fundamental shifts that are now occurring across the world, principally due to digitisation and the range of choices consumers now have.”This expansion of our services also reflects the importance Synovate places on media research – we are committed to quality and committed to providing innovative thinking to help meet the needs of our clients,” he said.

    Garton has been in charge of the Synovate PAX media surveys for the past four years. These studies are now running in 19 markets across Asia Pacific and the Middle East, where they have become the currency for upscale audiences in two of the world’s fastest growing regions. In addition, he has introduced a range of syndicated and customised media surveys to meet clients’ requirements, states an official release.

    The media team has been further boosted with the appointment of Craig Harvey in the role of director, Media Research – Asia Pacific. Mr Harvey joined Synovate on 3 July 2006 and is responsible for Synovate PAX in the region, as well as the continued development of the Synovate Media Atlas survey and ad hoc studies, the release adds.

    Reporting to Garton and based in Hong Kong, Harvey was most recently with Publicis Groupe Media as regional director of Consumer Insights. In the past, he has held a variety of media roles with CVSC-Sofres Media, Starcom Media and Granada Media.

  • MobiTV receives $70 million investment led by Oak Investment Partners

    MUMBAI: MobiTV Inc., a global player in television and digital radio services for cellular, WiFi and broadband-enabled devices, has announced the successful first close of the company‘s Series C financing. Oak Investment Partners‘ Bandel Carano will join MobiTV‘s board of directors as part of this investment.


    The $70 million investment led by Oak Investment Partners will fuel the Company‘s expansion in response to the overwhelming demand for its mobile television and radio service across international markets, states an official release.


    MobiTV‘s products already reach more than one million paying subscribers across the globe who can now watch top news, sports, entertainment and music videos on their mobile devices. The Company recently expanded its product line to deliver the MobiTV service to personal computers across WiFi and other broadband networks and announced the commercial availability of the MobiTV service in Latin America, adds the release.


    “We have taken tremendous strides to develop this rapidly emerging market across three continents over the last few years,” says MobiTV CEO & chairman Phillip Alvelda. “These rather substantial funds will help us capitalize on MobiTV‘s head start and position as the premiere brand in mobile television. We plan to use these funds to provide even more television content on more devices, across more networks, and in more countries around the world.”


    “MobiTV has a unique position in the mobile television market, serving as the leading content aggregator, delivery system and technology expert for carriers,” says Oak Investment Partners managing partner Bandel Carano. “This investment underscores our belief in the future of media delivery through handheld devices and PCs, and MobiTV is at the center of this change in both media delivery and consumer behavior.”


    MobiTV, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, first launched its mobile TV service in November of 2003. Since that time, MobiTV has expanded to serve major domestic carriers including Sprint, Cingular and Alltel and has also grown internationally. The MobiTV service reaches mobile subscribers through more than 20 carriers around the globe including Bell Canada, Rogers and TELUS in Canada, 3 and Orange in the UK, and America Movil in Latin America.

  • MobiTV receives $70 million investment led by Oak Investment Partners

    MobiTV receives $70 million investment led by Oak Investment Partners

    MUMBAI: MobiTV Inc., a global player in television and digital radio services for cellular, WiFi and broadband-enabled devices, has announced the successful first close of the company’s Series C financing. Oak Investment Partners’ Bandel Carano will join MobiTV’s board of directors as part of this investment.

    The $70 million investment led by Oak Investment Partners will fuel the Company’s expansion in response to the overwhelming demand for its mobile television and radio service across international markets, states an official release.

    MobiTV’s products already reach more than one million paying subscribers across the globe who can now watch top news, sports, entertainment and music videos on their mobile devices. The Company recently expanded its product line to deliver the MobiTV service to personal computers across WiFi and other broadband networks and announced the commercial availability of the MobiTV service in Latin America, adds the release.

    “We have taken tremendous strides to develop this rapidly emerging market across three continents over the last few years,” says MobiTV CEO & chairman Phillip Alvelda. “These rather substantial funds will help us capitalize on MobiTV’s head start and position as the premiere brand in mobile television. We plan to use these funds to provide even more television content on more devices, across more networks, and in more countries around the world.”

    “MobiTV has a unique position in the mobile television market, serving as the leading content aggregator, delivery system and technology expert for carriers,” says Oak Investment Partners managing partner Bandel Carano. “This investment underscores our belief in the future of media delivery through handheld devices and PCs, and MobiTV is at the center of this change in both media delivery and consumer behavior.”

    MobiTV, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, first launched its mobile TV service in November of 2003. Since that time, MobiTV has expanded to serve major domestic carriers including Sprint, Cingular and Alltel and has also grown internationally. The MobiTV service reaches mobile subscribers through more than 20 carriers around the globe including Bell Canada, Rogers and TELUS in Canada,