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  • News agency AFP secures deal with Refresh Mobile for WC updates

    News agency AFP secures deal with Refresh Mobile for WC updates

    MUMBAI: Global news agency AFP has struck a deal with mobile magazine developer Refresh Mobile to allow football fans to keep up to date with the World Cup via their phones.

    AFP’s deal with the mobile agency involves it supplying football-related content, including a World Cup diary, match previews, results and standings via mobile magazines.

    Refresh Mobile is present in the UK. It plans to launch in Germany this week and by the end of the year in the US.

    The magazines will be published twice daily and can be downloaded by texting a keyword to 63333.

    AFP’s partnership with Refresh Mobile is set to last beyond the World Cup with both parties involved in discussions about a continual service.

    Despite having ad space available, Refresh has so far failed to sign up any brands for the AFP publication.

    Refresh Mobile marketing director Elaine Devereux said that the company plans to take its mobile magazines to new markets in the near future.

  • Lifetime orders telenovella ‘Bianca’ from FremantleMedia

    Lifetime orders telenovella ‘Bianca’ from FremantleMedia

    MUMBAI: US women’s broadcaster Lifetime has ordered 20 episodes of Bianca. This is a weekly primetime novela based on the German television series of the same name. It was created and produced by FremantleMedia’s Grundy UFA

    The series will be produced on location in Australia and comes from FremantleMedia North America, the producers American Idol. Bianca explores forbidden love between a woman searching for a new life after being unfairly imprisoned and a wealthy man trapped into an impending loveless marriage.

    Lifetime Entertainment Services president, entertainment Susanne Daniels says, “Bianca is an exciting series for us — it’s a sexy, flirty, fun modern soap filled with deception, murder, secrets and betrayal — and is an ideal format for our audience” .

    FremantleMedia North America CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz said, “This is a ground-breaking deal for FremantleMedia North America as it will be the first time that we will be producing a scripted series in the US. Internationally, however, we have a long tradition of producing popular serial drama and have recently been very successful at introducing the telenovela concept to Europe. We look forward to working with Lifetime to bring the story of Bianca to US audiences this fall.”

  • NBC goes on a treasure hunt this Summer

    NBC goes on a treasure hunt this Summer

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC will air a new show Treasure Hunters.

    This is a fast-paced adventure/mystery reality series where multi-player teams try to stay one step ahead of each other as they are mentally and physically challenged in their quest for a promised hidden treasure.

    The adventure series kicks off with a special 2-hour premiere episode on 18 June.

    The teams must avoid elimination as they travel to historically significant locations around the globe where they decipher cryptic codes and puzzles.

    Each has a clue that leads them closer to solving the ultimate puzzle and obtaining the coveted grand prize. The show has been produced by the team responsible for the film The Da Vinci Code.

  • Sony-Discovery reach agreement with Dish TV

    NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: It‘s been a long time coming but after endless rounds of discussions, India’s first direct-to-home service Dish TV has finally reached mutually agreeable terms with the Sony-Discovery One Alliance distribution bouquet to carry their channels.


    The two parties arrived at a memorandum of understanding today and the official signing will happen anytime in the next few days, sources close to the developments tell Indiantelevision.com.


    The One Alliance channels will begin beaming off the Dish platform within the next few days and the billing cycle is effective from 1 July on. The financial terms that the two parties have agreed to were not available at the time of filing this report.


    For Dish TV, this resolves one half of the problem it has been facing ever since its launch – its inability to offer subscribers channels from the One Alliance and Star bouquets.


    With the addition of the Sony bouquet, Dish TV can look forward to a major ramp up in subscriber numbers. Two key events that are expected to drive acquisitions in the immediate term are the ongoing India-West Indies Test series and the Fifa World Cup. The Word Cup kicks off in Munich, Germany, on 9 June while the second Test in St Lucia, West Indies, will take place between 10 and 14 June. ESPN Star Sports (already on the Dish network) has exclusive rights to the World Cup while Ten Sports – part of the One Alliance bouquet – is exclusively airing the cricket in the Caribbean.


    A contentious issue that automatically gets resolved with Sony‘s sign-up on Dish is the legal spat that Subhash Chandra’s DTH service has been having with Viacom channels MTV and Nick since last year. Both channels are part of the One Alliance.


    In a letter sent to the information and broadcasting ministry last month, Dish TV had petitioned that despite the sector regulator’s directive on making available content to all platforms and a favourable judgement from disputes tribunal TDSAT, the “conduct of MTV” has been “clearly in violation” of the interconnection regulation of 2004.


    Dish TV’s parent ASC Enterprises‘ contention was that despite carrying on commercial negotiations with MTV Networks India for several months, the content provider and its distributors in India (One Alliance) had stalled any fruitful conclusion of such talks.


    ASC Enterprises, an Essel Group company, holds the licence for a DTH service in the country, which is marketed under the brand name Dish TV.


    Also Read:
    Dish TV appeals to govt against MTV, Nick


    TDSAT puts a lock on any DTH operator carrying Star channels

  • Sony-Discovery reach agreement with Dish TV

    Sony-Discovery reach agreement with Dish TV

    NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: It’s been a long time coming but after endless rounds of discussions, India’s first direct-to-home service Dish TV has finally reached mutually agreeable terms with the Sony-Discovery One Alliance distribution bouquet to carry their channels.

    The two parties arrived at a memorandum of understanding today and the official signing will happen anytime in the next few days, sources close to the developments tell Indiantelevision.com.

    The One Alliance channels will begin beaming off the Dish platform within the next few days and the billing cycle is effective from 1 July on. The financial terms that the two parties have agreed to were not available at the time of filing this report.

    For Dish TV, this resolves one half of the problem it has been facing ever since its launch – its inability to offer subscribers channels from the One Alliance and Star bouquets.

    With the addition of the Sony bouquet, Dish TV can look forward to a major ramp up in subscriber numbers. Two key events that are expected to drive acquisitions in the immediate term are the ongoing India-West Indies Test series and the Fifa World Cup. The Word Cup kicks off in Munich, Germany, on 9 June while the second Test in St Lucia, West Indies, will take place between 10 and 14 June. ESPN Star Sports (already on the Dish network) has exclusive rights to the World Cup while Ten Sports – part of the One Alliance bouquet – is exclusively airing the cricket in the Caribbean.

    A contentious issue that automatically gets resolved with Sony’s sign-up on Dish is the legal spat that Subhash Chandra’s DTH service has been having with Viacom channels MTV and Nick since last year. Both channels are part of the One Alliance.

    In a letter sent to the information and broadcasting ministry last month, Dish TV had petitioned that despite the sector regulator’s directive on making available content to all platforms and a favourable judgement from disputes tribunal TDSAT, the “conduct of MTV” has been “clearly in violation” of the interconnection regulation of 2004.

    Dish TV’s parent ASC Enterprises’ contention was that despite carrying on commercial negotiations with MTV Networks India for several months, the content provider and its distributors in India (One Alliance) had stalled any fruitful conclusion of such talks.

    ASC Enterprises, an Essel Group company, holds the licence for a DTH service in the country, which is marketed under the brand name Dish TV.

  • Zoom appoints Sunil Sahjwani as chief creative & programming officer

    Zoom appoints Sunil Sahjwani as chief creative & programming officer

    MUMBAI: Lifestyle and glamour channel Zoom’s latest appointment is in keeping with the new initiatives planned for the next quarter. Sunil Sahjwani has been roped in as chief creative and programming officer for Zoom. The programming, production and on air promos (OAP) teams at Zoom will now report in to him.

    With this, Sahjwani will be moving from his current corporate role as chief creative consultant for Bennett & Coleman Co Ltd., ( BCCL) and takes charge of all creative and programming responsibilities at Zoom.

    Commenting on the appointment, Zoom CEO Suresh Bala said, “As Zoom prepares to meet the challenges of becoming a high impact channel, it needs a new dimension of creative leadership to rejuvenate its growth engines and take it to the next level. I believe Sunil Sahjwani, with his experience and expertise is the best person for this role.”

    Sahjwani says, “I am indeed very happy to take up this assignment. Zoom is at a very dynamic stage currently and I think it will be very challenging and exciting to take it forward from here. Zoom has created a unique position for itself in the television space. I’m confident that Zoom will touch even greater heights of success in the days to come.”

    With over 27 years in the areas of advertising, film, radio and television, Sahjwani has worked on several international productions which include shows for BBC’s Channel 4 and CNN.

    Amongst others, he has directed the immensely popular BPL Oye for Channel [V], for which he has won the RAPA, Lions and Screen awards. Sahjwani has also worked with ETC Networks as director of programming as well as VP Creative for Reliance Entertainment. Prior to joining BCCL, Sahjwani was the CEO of the Percept Picture Company.

  • US House of Representatives pass bill to allow telecom firms into cable TV

    US House of Representatives pass bill to allow telecom firms into cable TV

    MUMBAI: The US House of Representatives have passed a bill that makes it easier for American telecom firms to enter the American cable TV market.Media reports indicate that lobbying by telecom firms AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth could have influenced the Representatives.

    The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006 was pased.

    BellSouth VP governmental affairs Herschel Abbott says, “We congratulate and thank Chairman Barton and Representative Rush for shepherding this legislation through the House. We look forward to Senate action so that legislation can be signed by the President this year.

    “Completion of video franchise legislation will allow faster rollout of a video service that can provide another competitive alternative to cable, offering the kind of customer service and quality that customers demand.

    “Given the amount of debate over so called ‘net neutrality’ during consideration of this bill, let me again assure consumers that BellSouth will not block or degrade access to any legal content on the internet. Net neutrality is a phony issue and it ought to be laid to rest by this vote.”

    The bill will allow national video franchising for Internet Protocol television (IPTV) providers in hopes of spurring competition in the US pay television market. The Cope Act removes regulatory barriers for video service providers to enter the market. Additionally, the legislation allows municipalities to deploy broadband and provide video services on a transparent and nondiscriminatory basis, thereby removing barriers for another competitor’s entry intro the marketplace.

  • Worldspace associates with BBC & TWI for Soccer World Cup programming

    Worldspace associates with BBC & TWI for Soccer World Cup programming

    MUMBAI: Worldspace Satellite Radio has announced that subscribers in India can get the inside track on the world’s most popular sporting event as its channel Play! kicks off its coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2006.

    Play! is partnering with BBC and Trans World International to bring subscribers an exclusive mix of programming that captures the action, news, views and profiles from the World Cup.

    India’s top footballer, Baichung Bhutia, joins the Worldspace team as they decode the strategies, talk you through the day’s highlights from Germany, and rope you into the game with exciting contests and interactive programming initiatives, states an official release. Star profiles, background trivia on the stadiums, coaches and teams, daily previews, comments from fans, and expert analysis will be part of the programme offering.

    Playtime, the morning programming session on Play!, will air an hour and a half of football programming, sharing the previous day’s results, commentary bytes and vox-pops from fans in Germany as well as listeners from around the world. Playtime will also host a special call-in segment with Bhutia between 11:30 am and noon every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday during the World Cup, where subscribers will get to discuss the previous day’s goals, blunders and strategies, the release adds.

    Playground, the afternoon session, kicks off at noon with daily TWI updates and a weekly chat with Bhutia every Friday afternoon. Matthew Kenyon, Worldspace’s lead reporter at the FIFA World Cup, reports live from Germany, wrapping up the show with his predictions for the day’s games.

    Play! Quiz takes on a World Cup theme the entire month. Subscribers get a chance to win exclusive merchandise by answering football trivia on players, teams, coaches, venues and more.

  • TV Today mulls Mumbai Aaj Tak

    TV Today mulls Mumbai Aaj Tak

    MUMBAI: TV Today Network is now eyeing a Mumbai-centric news channel after having recently launched Dilli Aaj Tak, which serves the National Capital Region (NCR).

    On the sidelines of a book release function here today, sources in TV Today Network confirmed that Mumbai Aaj Tak is very much on the cards, but a time frame cannot be given at the moment.

    The sources said the fate of Mumbai Aaj Tak channel would be formally decided after evaluating the numbers delivered by Dilli Aaj Tak.

    What is more important, TV industry observers point out, is that the Aroon Purie-controlled network does not still have a full fledged infrastructure in Mumbai to support a 24-hour local channel.

    The function yesterday marked the release of a Hindi book, Anchor and Reporter written by Aaj Tak deputy editor Punya Prasun Bajpai.

    With the launch of Dilli Aaj Tak, TV Today Network has now successfully launched Hindi news space market leader Aaj Tak, English sibling Headlines Today and a Hindi version of Headlines Today called Tez.

    While Dilli Aaj Tak has competition in S1, Sahara Samay NCR and Total TV, in Mumbai the field is more open since apart from Sahara Samay Mumbai, there are only cable news channels run by MSOs and cable ops.

    TV Today Network posted an increase of 66.86 per cent in net profit at Rs 110 million for the quarter ended 31 March 2006 as against Rs 66.1 million for the corresponding quarter last year.

    The total income of the company increased 25.83 per cent to Rs 514.4 million for the same quarter from Rs 409 million in a year ago period.

    The TV Today scrip opened today at Rs 85 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

  • Nick Jr. debuts original mini pilots on wireless carriers

    Nick Jr. debuts original mini pilots on wireless carriers

    MUMBAI: Nick Jr. has launched three original mini pilots across multiple platforms with the first window kicking off on wireless carriers starting 6 June.

    The mini pilots, originated from Nick Jr.’s Institute of Applied Play, premiered on wireless carriers marking the network’s first-ever launch of original short-form content on a wireless platform.

    Nick Jr. will continue the multi-platform roll-out of the mini pilots — Pass the Pinha, Jinny Starfly and All Aboard — on Nick Jr. Video, Nick Jr.’s broadband video service available on Nickjr.com and on-air on Nick Jr. television. Each of the mini pilots range in length from one to three minutes.

    The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.’s creative lab, where the network partners with new talent including illustrators and writers on a variety of projects. The Institute explores a fantastic array of production techniques to produce innovative interstitials for multiple platforms. On an average, Nick Jr. produces over 15 shorts per year.

    “The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.’s playground for meeting new creators and artists. We’re excited to showcase their handiwork across all of these platforms,” said Nickelodeon Preschool Television executive creative director Brown Johnson.

    The multi-platform schedule for the launch of the three mini pilots is as follows:

    “It’s not magic — it’s science!” In the live-action and animated short Jinny Starfly, produced, written and directed by Syr-Ivan Bennett, two kids patiently wait for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. But their patience begins to wane. Is it make-believe? Nick Jr.’s animated science expert Jinny Starfly flies in to show them how the caterpillar changes and that it’s not magic — it’s science!

    In the animated short Pass the Pinha, created and directed by Elanna Allen, Bing the musical bird and her siblings find a Brazilian fruit called a pinha which makes a super samba Brazilian sound when shaken. But little Bing rocks out so much that she drops the pinha, which shatters. They sadly gather around the broken fruit, until Bing nibbles on a piece and sings her conga sound. The others join in, munching and dancing to their samba song.

    In the animated short All Aboard, created by Nancy Wolff, a billy goat and a raccoon turn a boring morning in to a choo-choo train game. They discover that all you need are some friends and imagination to turn a seemingly boring day into an exciting ride.

    The shorts that come out of The Institute of Applied Play have a history of being used as back-door pilots. Nick Jr.’s original hit series The Wonder Pets! which premiered in March 2006 started out as a series of interstitials called Linny the Guinea Pig. Ni Hao, Kai-lan an upcoming new animated series slated to premiere in fall 2007 began as a series of shorts called Downward Doghouse. Additionally, Nick Jr.’s short-form series Mighty Bug 5, started out as an interstitial called The Grumpy Bug. All these are available on Nickjr.com.