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  • Alan Perris is US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences COO

    Alan Perris is US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences COO

    MUMBAI: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Atas) in the US has named television executive Alan Perris as its COO.

    Perris will be based at the Academy’s North Hollywood headquarters. He will oversee day-to-day staff activities as well as serve as the staff liaison to the Academy and its Foundation, headed by Foundation Chairman Steve Mosko.

    Atas chairman and CEO Dick Askin says, “Alan was selected after a comprehensive search and review process. Our paths have crossed frequently over the past 15 years and I believe that Alan’s wealth of experience should be of great value to our Academy in advancing the many exciting initiatives we have for the future.”

    Perris said, “The Academy, which awards the highest honours for excellence in television, is one of the most prestigious organisations in the entertainment business. It is an honour to be able to work with the top professionals in the television industry.”

    Perris has more than 30 years of experience in the television industry. Most recently, he served as executive VP of business development at Entertainment Media Works, which operates StarStyle.com. Previously, he was senior VP of first run programming at both Sony and Warner Bros.’ Telepictures division and President at two station group production companies, Scripps-Howard and Post-Newsweek

  • Online video services to see explosive growth in US: IDC

    Online video services to see explosive growth in US: IDC

    MUMBAI: Internet video services are on the brink of becoming a mainstream phenomenon in the United States.

    According to a new forecast from IDC, internet video services will generate over $1.7 billion in revenues by 2010, an increase of more than $1.5 billion from 2005 totals. Much of this growth will be fueled by a surge in the amount of premium content made available online. However, IDC cautioned that the market’s potential could be dampened by key technical and legal hurdles.

    The market for internet video services began its dramatic acceleration in 2005 as content owners, once unwilling to offer their products online, started to experiment with digital distribution as a way to complement and enhance their existing business models and to stem illegal P2P file sharing and piracy. In particular, the television networks’ decision to offer episodes from new shows as well as old sparked significant interest in internet video. Television content, which is available in ample amounts and is ideally suited for the PC, is expected to be an integral component to revenue growth throughout the forecast period.

    IDC’s Consumer Markets associate research analyst Josh Martin says, “The internet video market has a huge upside. With that upside, however, comes the risk to content owners of cannibalizing existing revenue streams. In order to properly take advantage of this emerging market, content owners to aggregators to consumer electronics manufacturers must understand the challenges the market faces and how to overcome them.”

    The key drivers for the adoption of internet video include the expansion of premium content offerings online and the emergence of home networking solutions that allow consumers to more easily view Internet content on their televisions. As services become increasingly common, content owners will leverage internet video to complement their existing revenue streams and to generate additional revenue from archived content and new content created specifically for the service.

    IDC expects that content owners will migrate toward three basic service types. Advertising-based services will remain the dominant type of internet video service, although its share of total market revenue will decline as a la carte services, buoyed by consumer familiarity with iTunes, grow dramatically over the next 2-3 years. Subscription-based services will experience steady growth throughout the forecast period, enhanced somewhat by the emergence of home networking solutions that make subscriptions more appealing to consumers.

    In order to sustain the momentum gathered in 2005 and maximise opportunities for success, content owners and service providers will need to overcome several important problems, including licensing issues, inadequate video search, competitive challenges, and the issue of how to move content beyond the PC. IDC believes that companies involved from the creation to distribution of content will have to partner with others across the value chain to create appealing, flexible services that will evolve into viable businesses.

  • IPTV to face tough climate: research firms

    IPTV to face tough climate: research firms

    MUMBAI: This is a piece of news that should put a word of caution on telecom firms like Reliance Infocomm and Bharti who are keen on IPTV. While the telcos are keen on leveraging the new media platform to augment revenues, two research reports indicate that they face severe challenges ahead.

    One report from research firm Gartner says IPTV services will struggle for years against the established pay-TV and free-to-air (FTA) platforms. Subscribers for television services over the internet, which hit 1.7 million last year, is expected to grow at a 58.8 percent aggregate rate until 2010, when the service is expected to attract 16.7 million subscribers.

    But despite this robust growth prediction, Gartner says IPTV will struggle over the next five years to become a mainstream revenue opportunity for carriers.

    The other report from Multimedia Research Group (MRG) states that uncertainties in large carriers in the US and Asia holds the forecasts for these regions down. Europe should be the strongest IPTV market through 2009, with Asia catching up by the end of the forecast period. IP TV set-top boxes will dominate the capital spending for IPTV services and account for two-thirds of spending.

    Europe is surging ahead with a large number of strong IPTV deployments that include France Telecom, Free, Neuf in France, Telefonica in Spain, FastWeb in Italy, and a number of strong competitive offerings in Scandinavia.

    Gartner meanwhile notes that while the short- to medium-term profits from IPTV will be modest at best, carriers cannot afford to delay the deployment of the IPTV platform. Those who delay too long will risk undermining their ability to be long-term key players in the consumer ‘infotainment’ communications business.

    There will be 3.3 million subscribers to IPTV services in Western Europe by the end of this year and 16.7 million within four years, according to the report.

    The UK currently has one of the smallest numbers of IPTV subscribers in Western Europe with only 75,000 subscribers predicted in 2006.

    Although this is set to increase fairly rapidly to reach 1.9 million by 2010 with the introduction of services such as BT Vision Gartner predicts that the UK will remain a weaker prospect for IPTV. This is mainly due to the existing pay TV landscape and dominance of Sky TV.

    In contrast Gartner predicts that by the end of 2006, almost half of Western Europe’s IPTV subscribers will be based in France – a total of 1.7 million generating revenues of €141m.

  • Sri Adhikari Brothers appoint M K Aggarwal as additional director

    Sri Adhikari Brothers appoint M K Aggarwal as additional director

    MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd has appointed Mahendra Kumar Aggarwal as an additional director of the company with effect from 31 March, 2006.

    Aggarwal is a post graduate in commerce and graduate of law. He has more than 38 years of experience with State Bank of India and will hold the office of independent director in the company.

    The decision was taken at the company’s board meeting, which was held on 31 March.

  • PanAmSat solidifies HD dominance with National Geographic HD win

    PanAmSat solidifies HD dominance with National Geographic HD win

    MUMBAI: National Geographic HD has chosen to join PanAmSat’s high-definition neighborhood. PanAmSat’s Galaxy HD neighborhood reaches over 9,000 cable systems throughout the US and features many of America’s top HD offerings, including: HBO HD, Cinemax HD, National Geographic HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, Encore HD, ESPN HD, Fox Sports Net HD, NBA HD, NFL Network HD, The Outdoor Channel, Showtime HD West, STARZ! HD, TNT HD, WB HD and Wealth TV.

    “National Geographic’s high-quality, award-winning programming lends itself perfectly to high-definition television delivery. By joining the A-list roster of customers on Galaxy 13, National Geographic HD will enjoy the industry’s best coast-to-coast coverage that this powerful spacecraft offers. And, bar none, the Galaxy HD neighborhood delivers what television networks want — to pass every potential HDTV cable home in the nation’s top ADIs,” said PanAmSat executive vice president global sales and marketing Mike Antonovich.

    National Geographic HD is distributed by Fox Entertainment Group. Fox had signed a long-term, multi-year, multi-satellite, multi-transponder deal with the Company, consolidating its entire suite of US programming onto PanAmSat’s global fleet as well as a significant portion of its international traffic. The contract was later expanded to include two additional transponders on Galaxy 13, the new home for National Geographic HD.

    High-definition television has made large strides in the US and is predicted to make even larger inroads in the next four years.

    According to industry analyst reports, by 2009, HDTV will be in 52 million households, up from the current four million households. Northern Sky Research estimates that 500 channels will be broadcast in HD by 2010. And, the Consumer Electronics Association reports that seven in 10 consumers are planning to purchase a digital cable-ready HDTV as their next television.

    Ultimately, the continued price reductions in the HDTV arena, coupled with the looming analog cut-off, will result in 55 percent of US households having at least one HD-capable TV by the end of 2010 explain analysts from Leichtman Research Group’s in a recent report entitled, “HDTV: Awareness, Interest and Intent to Purchase 2005.”

  • FremantleMedia appoints Wong as licensing manager, Americas

    FremantleMedia appoints Wong as licensing manager, Americas

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas (FLW, Americas) has appointed Nora Wong as licensing manager, Americas.

    In this newly created position, Wong will manage the licensing of key FremantleMedia brands such as American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud for the apparel, health and beauty and publishing categories. She will be based in FremantleMedia’s Santa Monica office and will report directly to FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas vice president licensing David Luner.

    “This has been a very active year for FremantleMedia as many of our properties like American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud continue to gain in popularity and perform beyond our expectations. This success has provided us with a great opportunity to build our licensing division in order to meet consumer demand for products based on our brands. Nora will be an excellent addition to our team. Based on her experience with emerging youth trends, consumer publications, fashion and style trends and interactive home DVD gaming, we could not have chosen a better person to round out the licensing team,” said Luner.

    Wong brings a wealth of related experience into her new role at FremantleMedia. Most recently, Wong served as graphic novel editor for Tokyo Pop. Wong also served as a contributing writer to Magic and Women’s Wear Daily Magic where she covered the women’s contemporary wear, street wear, urban wear and accessories beat.

    Her position just prior to joining FremantleMedia was as Imagination Enterprises director marketing where she oversaw licensed DVD games based on Family Feud, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Pirates of the Caribbean and Name That Tune.

  • Comcast, Sony Pictures to thrill audiences with new horror network

    Comcast, Sony Pictures to thrill audiences with new horror network

    MUMBAI: Comcast and Sony Pictures Entertainment unveiled plans to premiere a new Horror and Thriller multi-platform network on Halloween, 31 October, 2006.

    Plans for the new advertising-supported network were unveiled by Comcast president emerging networks Diane Robina and Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko.
    The network will captivate fear seekers and fans of the horror film genre – one of the fastest-growing genres at the box office. It will debut on video on demand and the internet at launch, and will add a wireless platform in the future. The channel is the first multi-platform network that leverages the combined assets of the Sony and MGM libraries, which make up the largest collection of its kind in the world. Comcast and Sony announced their intent to create new distribution platforms for this content when the companies and other investors purchased the MGM library last year.
    Horror and thriller films have emerged on the mainstream film scene in the last several years with box office numbers skyrocketing. Twenty per cent of the feature films released by major studios in 2005 were in this category, and one in three of those debuted at number one at the box office. The genre, which now features top Hollywood stars and grosses more than $1 billion a year, has a growing fan base in the sought-after 18-34 demographic.

    “Horror fans not only like this genre, they are passionate about it. This is the first channel of its kind devoted solely to serving this expanding audience and a great advertising opportunity to reach this demographic. The number of horror fans is growing exponentially, and they are hungry for this kind of multimedia experience. This is the perfect time and the ideal platform to introduce a dedicated horror experience,” said Robina.

    “We are excited to be launching the first of our joint channels with our partners at Comcast. More and more people are looking to a variety of sources for their entertainment, and this new channel will be available on multiple platforms simultaneously, redefining the idea of what a network is,” said Mosko.

    The network will feature film and TV contemporary thrillers, suspense dramas, horror titles and more on Comcast’s On Demand service on 31 October and will launch its multimedia fan website the same day.

    “The depth of offerings available from the Sony and MGM libraries is unparalleled. We have hundreds of titles at our disposal to satisfy every thrill seeker,” added Robina.

    Horror movie fans will get the online experience they want through a video-rich, multimedia online environment that will become the horror destination for the fan community, and will include: exclusive horror outtakes, music downloads, a scream fest, original animation and behind-the- scenes footage. The network will add a wireless component that will feature horror ringtones, sound effects and other features designed specifically for the mobile experience.

    The companies will announce the new network’s name and additional details about the multimedia content in the coming months.

  • Mumbai to host ATP tournament in September

    Mumbai to host ATP tournament in September

    MUMBAI: Following a calendar switch, Mumbai is becoming the second city in India after Chennai to host an ATP tournament. Mumbai replaces the $380,000 Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh City, tennis’ governing body said in a statement issued Monday.

    The Mumbai Open will take place between 25 September and 1 October and will be held at the The Cricket Club. Ahead of the event, the CCI will be renovated to include a new 3,500-seat Centre Court plus two match courts and two practice courts.

    Globosport India, promoted by doubles ace Mahesh Bhupathi, will be responsible for the marketing, management and promotion of the Mumbai Open.

    The big question of course will be who gets the telecast rights for this event. With Zee Sports making its presence felt and even Sahara getting into the sports broadcast game, expect another bidding war.

    The telecast rights of the $400,000 Chennai Open were awarded to Star Sports by IMG, which owns and organizes the tournament. IMG’s television division, TWI, was responsible for producing the programming for the Chennai Open.

    Till now the Chennai Open was India’s and South Asia’s only ATP event. It was hosted at the Nungambakkam Stadium in Chennai from 2 – 8 January and was telecast on Star Sports in the India sub-continent, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan.

  • Tandberg Television unveils on-demand interactive ad system at NCTA ’06

    Tandberg Television unveils on-demand interactive ad system at NCTA ’06

    MUMBAI: Tandberg Television will unveil for the first time an on-demand interactive advertising system at the NCTA National Show 2006. The company’s new dynamic ad placement solution integrates advanced video-on-demand (VOD) capabilities with advanced interactive television functionality.

    It enables operators and programmers to engage subscribers with compelling integrated advertising experiences tightly embedded in broadcast and VOD programming.

    “In an era of ad-skipping and fragmented viewership, our next generation technology will play a critical role for advertisers striving to engage their customers. Tandberg Television’s new solution offers advertisers the ability to blend the emotion of television with the precision and measurability of the internet,” said Tandberg Television Inc senior vice president marketing and business development Braxton Jarratt.

    A recent joint survey released by the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research found nearly 70 per cent of advertisers are concerned that VOD and digital video recorders (DVR) are rendering traditional TV ads less effective, and confirmed that advertisers will spend less on TV ads in favour of emerging forms of advertising. The new interactive advertising system from Tandberg Television helps cable deliver more effective forms of advertising that complement the evolving and complicated viewing patterns of today’s consumers.

    With the new ad solutions from Tandberg Television, operators can deliver dynamic ad placements, playlists, interactive advertisements, branded portal and t-commerce capabilities to create rich, immersive subscriber interactions. Since the system is platform agnostic, it can be extended to any delivery device where content is consumed, complete with embedded interactive experiences launched with every subscriber inquiry or response.

    The complete solution from Tandberg Television includes:

    On-demand advertising: Global management system for advanced video advertising technologies, including VOD ad placement, long-form VOD delivery and highly targeted ad systems. The AdPoint solution addresses the diverse needs of advertisers and marketers by providing innovative tools for the production, management and placement of advertising and marketing messages across platforms and methods.

    Interactive advertisements: Two-way interactive television (iTV) communication that actively engages viewers, draws them deeper into the programming and creates a unique relationship between the advertiser, the content and the operator.

    Branded entertainment on-demand: By linking from linear video to on-demand content, advertisers can tie branded content areas directly to advertisements. While viewing an ad, users can click for more information to launch on-demand sessions that provide deeper brand interactions.

    T-commerce: Secure transactions from set-top boxes allow viewers to make purchases while watching television. T-commerce is a powerful product placement and direct marketing solution for advertisers, enabling viewers to request additional information or initiate purchases directly from their television screen.

    Mobile messaging solutions: With its end-to-end mobile messaging system, Tandberg Television supports mobile marketing campaigns, including registration management, content creation and scheduling, reporting and analysis, and delivery to subscribers of all major carriers.

    The interactive advertising system delivered by Tandberg Television is based on open interfaces, enabling cable operators to easily deploy on-demand services using existing, preferred and next-generation backend components — such as video servers, access networks, billing systems and client applications — as well as future iTV applications, including gaming and merchandising.

    By enabling multiple video server vendors and complexes to co-exist in the same installation, Tandberg Television allows operators to direct content to specific servers and load balance resources across vendors

  • Endemol extends Barnicoat & Bazalgette’s contracts until April 2011

    Endemol extends Barnicoat & Bazalgette’s contracts until April 2011

    MUMBAI: Endemol has taken some significant steps in terms of retaining its key talent. The company has announced that the contracts of senior management of operating companies in Italy, the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Germany and of Endemol COO Tom Barnicoat and CCO Peter Bazalgette has been extended until April 2011.

    Furthermore, senior management in Spain and other senior management in Italy have extended their contracts until December 2008, with a renewal option year on year after that and until April 2011.

    Additionally, Endemol has introduced a number of incentive schemes to enhance talent retention, foster creativity and deliver financial commitments. For example, there are variable compensation incentives, which are paid based on business performance (mostly for delivering top and bottom line growth). In addition, there is a range of bonuses for Endemol’s creative talent, depending on the market success of formats created.

    Also, at the time of Endemol’s recent IPO, a Long Term Incentive Plan was issued. For the management boards, senior management and the other Top 100 employees, performance shares and/or option plans were granted based on delivering a certain total shareholder’s return. For the rest of the employees a cash-based incentive plan was issued as well (of which 45 per cent was paid in 2005).

    Furthermore, Endemol also promoted senior vice president finance Jan Peter Kerstens as the company’s new chief financial officer.