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  • Relaunch brings new shows on Channel7

    Relaunch brings new shows on Channel7

    MUMBAI: The management of Channel7 changed hands earlier this year. And the industry was watching what wonders the CNN-IBN editorial team led by Rajdeep Sardesai would work with its programming lineup when it was relaunched. News buffs will not have to wait too long as the channel is relaunching on 5 June with a new on-air look and a tag line to boot – Khabar, Har Keemat par (News, No matter what the cost).

    The new shows it is touting include News Centre, Sports Zone, Bombay Dreams and Hot Seat.

    An hour long show, News Centre will be anchored by managing editor Ashutosh and will encompass all major news from across the country and abroad providing on-ground reportage, studio interviews and in-depth analysis.

    Sports Zone will give a wrapup of key sports stories of the day. Bombay Dreams will zoom in on news from tinsel town and the world of glitz – films and entertainment. Hot Seat’s format will be the talking heads one – with those in the news being grilled one-on-one. Talk shows, debates, crime updates, breakfast shows are also part of the programming mix.

    Says Ashutosh:”We have ambitious programming plans for Channel7 including original content designed to appeal to viewers. The focus will be on building a channel that reflects the moment and engages with viewers over important issues of the day. Hard news will be our core offering as we feel sharpness in news has vanished from Hindi news channels.”

    “Channel7 and CNN-IBN will complement each other in serving robust and high quality news from every region of the country and relevant global news. Both channels share common values where, CNN-IBN’s baseline; “Whatever it takes” is balanced by Channel7’s “Khabar, Har Keemat Par.” added Channel7 & CNN-IBN editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai.

    Channel7’s editorial team comprises of executive editor assignment Mrityunjay Kumar Jha; executive editor – input Prabal Pratap Singh; senior executive producer – output Sanjeev Paliwal; senior editor, bureau chief national Sumit Awasthi; chief of bureau Mumbai Sanjay Prabhakar; deputy editor, programming Rohit Lal and senior editor Prashant Tandon.

    Says Director marketing Dilip Venkatraman:“The Hindi News market is not only cluttered but challenging too. We have put in considerable effort in identifying the channel’s positioning,”Khabar, Har Keemat Par” and developed a new logo, look, programming mix that will work in tandem with the positioning to deliver a holistic world class news experience.”

    “The synergy shared between CNN-IBN and Channel7 on the positioning platform of hard news will be the key differentiating factor in breaking through the clutter. The advertiser who comes on board of TV18 will enjoy the benefits of being present in all the channels from the Group. This gives them the option of reaching various target groups across the country at the same time. We feel positive that this offering will help us accomplish our sales targets, ” director sales Rajnath Kamath concluded.

  • News channels look at scoring goals

    Soccer mania is in the air! With the Fifa World Cup scheduled to kick off 9 June in Germany, news channels in India, both domestic and international, have lined up extensive plans to capture the soccer fever.

    At the moment, most news channels are running a countdown show and profiling the teams and players in various news segment of the day.

    The scenario was quite different four years back. Then the news space was predominantly ruled by the bi-lingual Star News and the Hindi-language Zee News, besides the two international news channels, BBC World and CNN International.

    But today, the same space has more players and is far more competitive. No surprise, therefore, that all the news channels are gung ho about the football fever.
     
    THE ECONOMICS OF COVERAGE

    Industry observers say that an event of such magnitude can cost a news channel between Rs 5 million to Rs 10 million. If the annual operating expenses of news channels are taken into account, then the expenditure on Fifa World Cup might not look big, though it’s an important part of a news channel’s life.

    For example, NDTV Ltd’s operating expenses round up to approximately RS 1.78 billion annually, while TV18’s touches RS 700 million. TV Today with its three channels — the fourth one started just a few days back — incurred an annual operating cost of about RS 1.07 billion. The operating cost primarily includes expenditure on marketing, personnel, administration and uplinking.
     

    Since all news channels have respective long term tie-ups with global wire agencies like Reuters and APTN, part coverage of events like the World Cup come at a slightly incremental cost.

    “Generally, news channels have a long term agreement with a global news agency and for events like Fifa no extra fee is charged. News channels also inks deal with the sports channel that holds the telecast rights to access various other footage,” Zee News director Laxmi Goel says.

    According to Goel, news channels are also likely to tie-up with ESPN Star Sports as it holds the rights to Fifa World Cup for this region. “At our end, the negotiations are on with ESS and we are also talking to other agencies for acquiring additional footage. Apart from that we will use extensively footage provided by Reuters and APTN,” he added.

    With the soccer fever spreading in India though the country has never qualified for playing in the tournament, ESS is literally on a high. The sports channel is charging $100,000 for 60 seconds footage per match.

    ESS’ euphoria is not shared by all the news channels though they want to provide extensive coverage of Fifa World Cup. The high cost of accessing footage from the rights holder is still an impediment in concluding deals.

    Times Now channels’ parent Times Global Broadcasting vice-president and business head Partho Das Gupta points out that the company is in the process of “closing alliances” with ESS and others.
  • Intelsat ranked first among teleport service providers

    Intelsat ranked first among teleport service providers

    MUMBAI: Intelsat has announced that it placed first on the World Teleport Association’s (WTA) annual rankings of the top teleport operators. Intelsat led the list of the 2006 global top twenty.

    Intelsat is a provider of fixed satellite services.

    WTA’s global top twenty ranks companies based on revenues from all satellite-related sources which includes independents, satellite carriers, fiber carriers, and technology providers.

    Intelsat SVP global marketing Vicki Warker said, “Our leadership in this sector of the satellite industry is a testament to the growth of our hybrid GlobalConnexSM managed solutions business. Since its introduction in 2002, our GlobalConnex revenues have grown dramatically and now represent an annualised run-rate of approximately $130 million.”

    “We provide seamless, secure and easy delivery of voice, data, video and IP traffic anywhere in the world through bundling our satellite capacity with our global teleports, points of presence and ground network infrastructure,” he added.

    Intelsat’s GlobalConnex services are among its highest growth services, driven by demand for corporate data and voice over IP applications, asserts an official release.

    The offering also provides end-to-end support for media, internet trunking, WiFi hotspots, distance learning, and point-of-sale transactions. Another component of Intelsat’s teleport services includes hosting disaster recovery facilities for broadcasters and other operators, adds the release.

  • Zee Sports to air Davis Cup World Group Finals from 1-3 December

    Zee Sports to air Davis Cup World Group Finals from 1-3 December

    MUMBAI: Zee Sports will telecast the BNP Paribas Davis Cup World Group 2006 Finals live from 1-3 December. To be held at the Olympic Stadium, Moscow this year the battle will be between Russia and Argentina.

    The two teams have met only once in Russia, with Marat Safin leading the hosts to a 3-2 victory at the Sports Palace Luzhniki in Moscow in 2002, states an official release.

    This year the Russian team consists of Shamil Tarpischev (Captain), Nikolay Davydenko, Dmitry Tursunov, Mikhail Youzhny, Marat Safin while the Argentinian team consists of Alberto Mancini ( Captain), David Nalbandian, Jose Acasuso , Agustin Calleri, Juan Ignacio Chela.

    Schedule for the Davis Cup final between Russia and Argentina is as follows:

    1 December 15:00 onwards Singles
    2 December 16:00 onwards Doubles
    3 December 15:00 onwards Reverse Singles

  • BBC World debuts in the US market

    BBC World debuts in the US market

    MUMBAI: In a bid to target a wider audience, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has launched BBC World in the US market. Though the news channel started broadcasting at the end of April, it was officially launched on 1 June. The channel can now be seen in New York. The BBC is also looking at striking deals with cable and satellite providers elsewhere in the US soon. 

    The launch coincided with the unveiling of an outdoor advertising campaign in New York to promote the service to viewers.

    In July, BBC World will launch a new breakfast programme presented by George Alagiah. “What we’re not setting out to do is carve a niche that reflects America back to the Americans. What we’re trying to do is reflect the world back to Americans,” Alagiah was quoted as saying in BBC News.

    The show, which will be based in London, will also be carried on the cable channel BBC America.

    BBC World was launched in 1995, and is funded by advertising and subscription. Apart from news bulletins, it also broadcasts the interview programme Hardtalk, motoring show Top Gear and film guide Talking Movies, amongst others.

    Although it can be seen in more than 200 countries, the channel has found it difficult to get a foothold in the US. “The American TV market is the most crowded market in the world. For cable operators to find a space for another news network has been quite difficult,” said the station’s editor Richard Porter.

    Porter also said that the channel’s coverage of global affairs has been their key selling point.

    The launch of BBC World in New York comes just four months after the station signed a distribution deal with Discovery. The channel’s main competitor in the US will be CNN International.

  • BBC Worldwide global channels appoints Anne Howarth as SVP

    BBC Worldwide global channels appoints Anne Howarth as SVP

    MUMBAI: Anne Howarth is BBC Worldwide global channels senior vice president. She is the first senior management appointment for this division.

    Anne joins Worldwide from the BBC and will be responsible for the strategic direction of BBC Worldwide’s international television channels business, as well as the development and growth of its portfolio of channels, currently 18 wholly owned and joint venture television channels, available in 324 million homes around the world.

    She has already begun working with BBC Worldwide global channels MD Darren Childs, on a new strategy for BBC Worldwide’s TV channels business. The strategy will roll out in 2006 and will gradually develop BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of TV channels in both existing and new markets.

    Childs said, “Anne brings to this role a wealth of expertise. She has played key roles in transforming business into focused, robust operations as well as successfully closing major deals. We are embarking on an unprecedented period of growth around the world and Anne will be instrumental in delivering this growth.”

    Howarth said, “The BBC brand is one of the most respected around the world, and in the UK, its name is synonymous with high-quality, engaging programming. Our new strategy will engender the same feeling with our international audiences, building a strong portfolio of channels that engage and entertain audiences worldwide and it is tremendously exciting to be joining BBC Worldwide TV channels at this time.”

    Prior to this, Howarth had been with the BBC where she most recently played a leading role in the sale of BBC Broadcast now known as Red Bee Ltd, to Macquarie Bank. The sale won Acquisition Monthly’s award for the best mid-market corporate deal of 2005.

  • Panregional players to participate in Discop 2006

    Panregional players to participate in Discop 2006

    MUMBAI: The 2006 edition of Discop to be held from 22 to 24 June expects a good attendance due to the strong recovery of the world television programming markets and the awakening of Central Europe and Eastern Europe to production projects in addition to sales of finished product.

    To be hosted at the Sofitel Atrium Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, there will be 1,300 participants from less than 400 participants four years ago.

    Discop is a programming market focused especially on Central and Eastern Europe and it is attended by small- and medium-sized buyers that do not usually go to MIPTV and Mipcom. The highlights are:
    * For the first time, there will be regional production presence, with a good number of local, regional and independent producing companies.
    * Larger buyers will attend, including some from Western Europe.
    * New players are emerging including regional distributors, new pan-regional pay TV channels and also broadcasters, from Czech Republic, Bulgaria and smaller nations.
    * Several ancillary business developers will also attend, covering home video, licensing, mobile telephony and Internet. This did not happen in the past.
    On the sellers side, there will be larger participation, too:
    * Western Europe will be more represented than earlier.
    * Latin America will be participating at full, not only with telenovelas but also offering other types of finished product and formats, cashing on the new bonanza of telenovelas and general “Latin” product in Europe.
    * The countries within the region are starting to market their own product.
    * More participants from the U.S. are expected, since NATPE purchased the show from Reed-Midem.

  • B.A.G plans to invest Rs 500 million in radio biz

    B.A.G plans to invest Rs 500 million in radio biz

    MUMBAI: B.A.G Infotainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of B.A.G. Films Ltd, plans to invest over Rs 500 million for its FM radio business spread over 10 towns.

    The investment includes expenses towards infrastructure, equipments and studio facilities. The company will also have to contribute to the common transmission infrastructure. “We have bid successfully at very low costs. This has given us an edge and our outgo towards license fee is just 10 per cent of our project cost,” says B.A.G Intotainment CEO Rajiv Mishra.

    B.A.G is also trying to work out an equity arrangement among a consortium of small and regional radio operators who are in the process of being formed for collectively tapping advertising. “Our feeling is that there should be a common bonding for the consortium that will make it last. This will be best served by an equity arrangement among the partners. We are in talks towards this,” says Mishra.

    The consortium of radio operators for ad sales is in the process of being finalised. B.A.G will lead this combination which will have a national footprint to present before advertisers. Besides pressuring on higher ad rates, the partnership arrangement can help drive down operating costs for these FM broadcasting companies.
    B.A.G expects to rope in 40 radio companies as members of this consortium. The idea is to counter the bigger players like Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Sun TV group and Anil Ambani-controlled Adlabs. “We hope to form the consortium by 15 July. We have already signed up with six companies including Renecka Fincon and Gwalior Farms. We are also in advanced talks with many others,” says Mishra.

    B.A.G has bagged licenses to operate stations in Shimla, Patiala, Karnal, Hissar, Ahmednagar, Jabalpur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Muzzaffarpur and Ranchi. “We expect the second phase of FM stations to be active by December. The marketing efforts should start somewhere in September-October. As for selecting radio companies who would form the consortium, we are careful that in each locality no competing operator is selected. We are selecting geographical blocks,” says Mishra.

  • Raj TV to air Visswarupam from 5 June

    Raj TV to air Visswarupam from 5 June

    MUMBAI: Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd., is launching the mega Tamil serial Visswarupam on Raj TV and also in Telugu on Vissa TV- a unit of Raj TV network.

    The series will commence telecast on 5 June on RAJ TV at 8 30 pm and air every Monday through Thrusday.

    The story and direction of this tele serial is by Bombay Chankya – a director from the K. Balachander school and stars leading Tamil artists like Bombay Gnanam, Deepa Narayanan, Poovizhangu Mohan, Kaushik, Siva Kavitha, Preethi, Sairam and others.

    Visswarupam is a period drama in a village hamlet dating back to thirties, that progresses to the current period. The serial is about what happens when a man begins to think he is ‘Lord Incarnate’ and seeks to meddle with the process of creation. It shows a Vedic Scholar with a scientific mind who begins to dream of cloning as early as 1930s and lives a hundred years spanning four generations to see his dream come true.

    Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited is among South India’s media companies headquartered in Chennai with its subsidiary in London. It has made a beginning in production of popular TV serials for leading TV Channels like ‘Swabhimana’ and ‘Geethanjali’ in ZEE Kannada which air primetime from Monday to Thursday at 915pm and 10 00 pm respectively.

  • Robert McDowell joins as member to FCC

    Robert McDowell joins as member to FCC

    MUMBAI: Robert McDowell was sworn in by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman C to be a member of America’s media regulatory body.

    McDowell said, “I am honoured and humbled to be joining such a distinguished group of commissioners as well as the fine career public servants at the FCC.

    “There are many challenging issues facing the Commission, and I am eager to begin working on them with my fellow commissioners, with Congress, and with the American people. I am confident that our efforts will help bring the most advanced and efficient communications systems in the world to all American consumers.”

    McDowell brings to the FCC nearly 16 years of private sector experiences in the communications industry. Immediately prior to joining the FCC, McDowell was senior vice president and assistant general counsel for COMPTEL, an association representing competitive facilities-based telecommunications service providers, emerging VoIP providers, integrated communications companies and their supplier partners, where he had responsibilities involving advocacy efforts before Congress, the White House and executive agencies.