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  • MTV US president Van Toffler highlights the importance of short form videos during CTIA keynote

    MTV US president Van Toffler highlights the importance of short form videos during CTIA keynote

    MUMBAI: In his keynote address at the CTIA Wireless 2006 event in the US, MTV Music Group president Van Toffler highlighted the appeal of short-form video from the MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo and Spike TV brands on the wireless platform.

    He described the mobile platform as a rich, creative medium for new and emerging talent to connect with and cultivate new audiences.

    To underscore that point, Toffler welcomed recording artist LL Cool J, to the stage. LL offered an advance look at an upcoming episode of MTV’s Life & Rhymes, which chronicles his life as an artist and is set to debut tonight 10 April on MTV, MTV’s broadband channel Overdrive and on MTV Mobile.

    Toffler noted that audiences have increasingly embraced MTV Networks’ diverse array of mobile programming. Last month MTV Networks streamed nearly 2.5 million videos cross-carrier, an all-time high, Toffler reported, adding that the number is growing by nearly 40 per cent month-to-month for the first three months of 2006.

    He says, “Our audience is responding in droves to our mobile programming. They have a personal relationship with our brands and they increasingly want to consume our content on the handset, the new ‘holy grail’ of electronic
    devices.”

    LL Cool J echoed that sentiment saying, “The mobile phone helps me establish closer ties with my fans, connect with new ones and hopefully inspire everyone I touch through my music. The cell phone — which has become
    the accessory for today’s young adults — is one way that helps me reach them.”

    Among the varied types of mobile programming driving audience consumption are music videos, comedy segments, user-generated content, scenes from television shows, ‘after shows’ developed exclusively for mobile, never-
    before-seen outtakes, and short art breaks, also known as “sharts,” featuring animated and live-action segments.

    In many respects, the burgeoning mobile
    platform is a return to MTV Networks’ early roots, when MTV gained significant
    notoriety for the five- and 15-second art breaks created by brilliant, young talent and which lived between the music videos. For the MTVN Music Group, which encompasses the CMT, MTV and VH1 brands, three types of programming — extensions of on-air franchises; made-for-mobile episodes; and music — are all performing well on the mobile platform.

    Extensions of On-air Franchises
    VH1’s Flavour of Love, the most successful show in that channel’s history, was also the most popular VH1 Mobile content in February
    and March.
    — Web Junk 20 also on VH1 and VH1 Mobile, ushered in the user-generated era to TV and simultaneously to mobile phones.

    — MTV will showcase a 20-year-old college student’s visual interpretation using stick figures based on the lyrics of Fall Out
    Boy’s Sugar We’re Going Down, representing original user-generated content.
    — VH1 is debuting Dingo Ate My Video, a made-for-mobile series that combines VH1’s comedic voice with music videos from a wide
    range of artists, including Green Day, Missy Elliot, Jewel and others.
    — Country Music Television soon will debut a made-for-mobile reality series called Road Hammers about a southern rock/blues band trying to make it in the music business.

    MTV adds that labels and artists like LL Cool J increasingly are embracing the mobile platform to connect with fans and institute new marketing paradigms.
    The Arctic Monkey’s new video I Bet You Look Good on the Dance floor made its debut on: mtvU, MTV’s network for college students; mtvU’s Uber broadband network; mtvU.com and mtvU wireless.

    The approach mirrored a similar one taken by VH1 last year, which debuted Te Amo Corazon, the new Prince single, on VH1, VH1’s
    VSPOT broadband channel, and VH1 Mobile. The Prince debut marked the world’s first-ever multimedia, multiplatform worldwide
    exclusive premiere.
    — Prior to releasing her latest single and album, Madonna distributed an exclusive ringtone for Hung Upon MTV Mobile and VH1 Mobile.

    Spike TV is delivering the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s ‘Ultimate Fight Night(TM) Live’ to Amp’d Mobile subscribers tonight.
    This represents the first time the live sporting event is being simulcast to both mobile devices and to television subscribers.

    “The wireless platform is as important to us as television and computer screens. As soon as we start developing a new concept, we think beyond the television. We think of how that idea can live on broadband and mobile” Toffler says.

  • SCM sells digital TV solutions business to Kudelski

    SCM sells digital TV solutions business to Kudelski

    MUMBAI: The California headquartered SCM Microsystems, which provides solutions that open the digital world has sold its digital TV solutions business to the Swiss based Kudelski Group. It has got $11 million in cash for the deal.

    Kudelski Group chairman and CEO Andre Kudelski says, “SCM pioneered removable security for digital broadcasting and has helped build a market for open systems in the digital TV industry. Removable security modules will become a key enabler of digital pay-TV services as the retail market continues to grow and develop.”

    SCM Microsystems CEO Robert Schneider says, “The sale of our Digital TV business furthers our strategy to consolidate and restructure our organisation around a more focused business model. With one headquarters and operational center in Germany, one development facility in India and a seasoned sales team in the U.S., we believe that we will be able to take advantage of market opportunities more efficiently and cost effectively.

    “Going forward, we intend to put our entire attention on leveraging our smart card and media reader businesses by providing industry-leading solutions for emerging markets such as e-health, e-passport, secure physical access, electronic payment and digital photo printing.”

    Under the terms of the agreement with Kudelski, SCM will sell substantially all of the assets that relate to its digital TV solutions business, including its office building in France, certain inventory, contracts, trademarks and intellectual property.

    In addition 40 employees in Europe and Asia are expected to join Kudelski’s newly created business focussed on providing secure pay-TV modules compatible with consumer electronic products for the digital TV industry. The products that Kudelski is acquiring include SCM’s DVB and OpenCable compliant conditional access modules, used to securely decrypt digital television broadcasts, as well as
    controller chips used in set-top boxes that interface with the decryption modules.

    The Kudelski Group works in the field of digital security. Its technologies are used in a wide range of applications requiring access control and rights management, whether for securing transfer of information (digital television, broadband Internet, video-on-demand, interactive applications, etc.) or to control and manage access of people or vehicles to sites and events.

  • Sify launches online magazine store

    Sify launches online magazine store

    MUMBAI: www.sifymall.com, the online store on portal Sify has launched magazine subscription service online.

    The store has magazines from both Indian and foreign publications across categories like advertising, audio/video, automotive, aviation, beauty and fashion, business, films, music, travel and leisure and women to suit users interests.

    Sify senior VP, interactive services, Surya Mantha says, “Our aim is to ensure that the best offers are always available on SifyMall for users to experience real value for money. Be it the popular Deal of the Day, occasion based online gifting, or shopping online, we work to ensure customer delight in a number of ways. Our online magazine store extends this philosophy with subscriptions that offer real value to users with a wide range of magazines to suit their interests. We’ve also redesigned SifyMall to enhance the shopping experience for our users”.

    All a user needs to do is to go online on www.sifymall.com to the Magazine Store, and choose the title of his/her choice from an array of 130 magazines, with more to be added in future. The magazines are arranged conveniently by topic, publishers as well as alphabetically for users to locate the magazines of their choice easily and quickly.

  • Jaya TV obtains clearance for news channel

    Jaya TV obtains clearance for news channel

    MUMBAI: This is a piece of news that would bring some cheer in the Jayalalitha camp, after the assembly election debacle. Mavis Satcom Ltd, which operates Jaya TV, has been awarded the Wireless Protocol Clearance (WPC) to launch its news channel Jaya Plus.

    “We have now obtained all the necessary permission to launch Jaya Plus. We have the infrastructure in place and a recruitment drive will be launched soon. The channel will be launched at the earliest, after the Tamil Nadu assembly election results,” Jaya TV vice president of administration and legal S Ranganathan told indiantelevision.com.

    That puts an end to a clueless wait and a series of court battles for Mavis Satcom. The broadcaster had obtained the required permission from the information and broadcasting ministry way back in 2004, and since then it had been fighting for the WPC certificate.

    To speed up the proceedings, Mavis Satcom approached the Madras High Court early this year. In February, the Centre had assured the court that it would take a final decision on an application by VSNL to permit it to receive and uplink Jaya Plus on or before 9 March. The broadcaster didn’t press on the matter further as assembly elections were approaching.

    “At this crucial time, we can’t afford to indulge in court battles. We don’t want our attention to get diverted. We are making our best efforts possible covering the elections,” Jaya TV VP News Sunil K P had told indiantelevision.com at the time.

    Jaya Plus will primarily be a news and current affairs channel but have small doses of talk shows and quiz programmes. The channel will have seven to eight news bulletins. Reportedly, Jaya Plus will be politically aligned towards Jayalalitha.

    The entry of Jaya Plus as a news channel will end Sun TV’s solo run in the television news space in Tamil Nadu. Presently, Sun TV and its news channel sibling Sun News literally control the space since competitors Jaya TV, Raj TV and Star Vijay don’t have the necessary permission to telecast news and live programmes.

  • Global adoption of mobile TV to disappoint this year: Deloitte report

    Global adoption of mobile TV to disappoint this year: Deloitte report

    MUMBAI: Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) industry group predicts that, in 2006, search will displace email as the most used digital application, girls will hit the video games, and subscription radio will soar.

    At the same time, mobile television will disappoint, 3G adoption will be slower than expected, and the digital divide will grow.

    Deloitte China’s TMT Group leader Charles Yen says, “While the technology, telecom and media/entertainment industries are certainly converging we have identified the key trends in each sector that we expect for 2006. There will be some big winners and some big losers — and some, like always, that gain acceptance at a slower rate than their initial hype forecast.”

    Key trends identified in the reports include:

    Technology

    — Search displaces email as the most-used application — due to rising functionality, higher speed connectivity, and the 20 exabytes of new digital data expected to be created in 2006. At the same time, there are unlikely to be major advances in search engine user interfaces, implying even more potential value to be captured in the future.
    — Connectivity transforms devices into services — devices from cameras to cars will be able to be remotely upgraded and updated. Updates
    will extend from personal computers and mobile phones to GPS receivers, in-car computers, and set-top boxes, creating an opportunity for manufacturers to improve their understanding of
    customer needs, provide higher quality service and identify new revenue opportunities.
    — The “digital divide” deepens, rather than improves — historically, the digital divide has been most noticeable between developed and developing countries. This is likely to continue in 2006. Efforts to bridge the digital divide fail to address the underlying problems, including economic, political and social issues. Those on the “losing” end of the divide will be increasingly disadvantaged by their lack of access to the media, to the internet, to electronic communications, and to information.

    Media & Entertainment

    — Mobile television disappoints — while it will be promoted as the next big thing, and tens of millions of promotional dollars will be spent, consumer acceptance will lag.
    — Video games seek new audiences — in the wake of the success of new video game platforms, the industry will strive to sustain its growth by creating a considerably larger audience. It will reach out to new demographics, most notably young girls.
    — Subscription radio 2.0 — radio will follow television as its business model evolves from being advertising-dominated to subscription-dominated, providing added flexibility for customers and new opportunities for providers. New delivery mechanisms, such as internet-based services, will be launched. There are currently over 12 million US satellite radio subscribers; this market is expected to grow 35 per cent through the end of the decade.

    Telecom

    — 2006 will be a frustrating year for 3G — customers’ needs are being met by existing standards; they don’t understand the benefits of 3G and why they should pay for them. 3G will add tens of millions of subscribers, but nowhere near enough to pay back the tens of billions of dollars invested. 2G will continue to represent most of the growth, revenue and margin for the mobile sector.
    — Connectivity inside everything — the telecom industry will capitalise on maturing machine-generated communications to build connectivity inside machines and devices, resulting in remote process monitoring, asset tracking, traffic flow monitoring and more.

  • US women’s channel Lifetime gets ‘Desperate Housewives’

    US women’s channel Lifetime gets ‘Desperate Housewives’

    MUMBAI: The women of Wisteria Lane have just found a second home! US women’s broadcaster Lifetime Television has acquired the basic cable rights from Buena Vista Television, along with the repurposing rights, for the show Desperate Housewives.

    In India the show airs on Star World while in the US it helped turn around the fortunes of ABC.

    Along with the repurposing rights starting in September 2008, Lifetime will begin airing the first season of Desperate Housewives on a weekly basis this August.

    The show is in its second season on ABC and Star World. Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria and Nicollette Sheridan star in this comedic look at suburbia — where the secret lives of housewives aren’t always what they seem. It averages 22.5 million total viewers and 8.3 million women ages 18-49 during its run on ABC and is the number one scripted series among that age group in the current 2005-06 broadcast season.

    Lifetime Entertainment Services senior VP, planning, scheduling and acquisitions Leslie Glenn-Chesloff, , said, “This brilliant water-cooler series makes us laugh and makes us cry with its insightful windows into the lives, emotions, dreams and disappointments of diverse women. As a pop-culture icon with powerful appeal to women viewers, Desperate Housewives is a perfect addition to our schedule.”

    Buena Vista Television executive VP, general sales manager Jed Cohen says, “We view Lifetime, the leader in women’s television, as the ideal partner for Desperate Housewives. Desperate Housewives has had a tremendous impact on the primetime landscape and we believe that Lifetime Television is the perfect environment to extend the success of this distinguished and popular series.”

  • Visa becomes an exclusive FIFA partner

     MUMBAI: Visa International and FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) announced an agreement in which Visa will become a FIFA Partner with global rights to a broad range of FIFA activities including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
     

    This new partnership, with unparalleled access to FIFA properties worldwide, links Visa and football in a unique and groundbreaking relationship that will benefit fans worldwide.
     

    Visa’s commitment will begin in January 2007 and will run through 2014 in the financial services product category. As one of six FIFA Partners, Visa will enjoy a higher level of association with FIFA than previous category sponsors and will enjoy rights to a broader range of FIFA activities including exclusive marketing assets, competitions, special events and development programs. Visa and FIFA will work together on a global basis to create exclusive Visa payment programs around these FIFA activities.

    “As only Visa can, we will work with our extensive network of 20,000 member financial institutions to convey the zeal and excitement of football to hundreds of millions of Visa cardholders worldwide,” said Visa International president and CEO Christopher Rodrigues.

    “This partnership will allow us to bring our cardholders programs that touch the very core of their passion for the game both globally and locally. The FIFA Partnership truly delivers on Visa’s strategy of associating with the world’s best brands and complements our strong global brand position,” he added.

    As the world leader in payment services and with acceptance in 24 million locations, Visa is uniquely qualified to extend the benefits of this partnership to millions of cardholders and fans worldwide. This partnership builds on the successful marketing programs with global properties including the Olympic Games/Paralympic Games, Disney and Rugby World Cup.

    Over the eight-year period, Visa will promote a number of FIFA events and competitions including the FIFA Confederations Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA Interactive World Cup, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Visa will also be working with FIFA to explore the possibility of developing and promoting visually impaired football, drawing upon Visa’s long-standing involvement with Paralympic sport.

    FIFA’s commercial partnership strategy is designed to enhance the development of the sport across the world and through all walks of life. A FIFA partner enjoys the highest level of association with FIFA, by far eclipsing basic event sponsoring, and comprising rights to all FIFA events, exclusive marketing assets, and an affiliation with the governing body’s special events and development initiatives. Visa becomes one of six global organisations that will comprise FIFA’s top tier of partners.
     

  • Jabil completes $ 185 million acquisition of Celetronix

    Jabil completes $ 185 million acquisition of Celetronix

    MUMBAI: Jabil Circuit, Inc. has acquired Celetronix, a leading electronic manufacturing services (EMS) company in India, for around $185 million, including debt.

    The purchase price consists of around $155 million in cash plus the assumption of $30 million in debt. The acquisition process was completed on 31 March, a source said.

    Celetronix offers services from design and prototyping and is the strategic partner used by many of the world’s recognised brands in set-top satellite decoders, computers, home electronics, networking and server appliances. The company, for instance, does work for direct-to-home (DTH) service provider EchoStar in the US.

    Jabil, a premier EMS company in the world, will be able to get access to low-cost manufacturing from India while targeting new markets and customers. Also, its manufacturing footprint will expand in India. Jabil currently manufactures in 176,000 square feet in Ranjangaon, India. Celetronix has manufacturing facilities in Mumbai, Chennai and Pondicherry.

    Indiantelevision.com e-mailed a set of questions to the company on the acquisition details and its expansion plans. But Celetronix officials in Mumbai declined to comment.

    Celetronix, founded by the Tandon family, has low-cost manufacturing facilities in India and delivers through its worldwide locations including India, US, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

  • Allow news on private FM: international radio broadcasters association

    Allow news on private FM: international radio broadcasters association

    NEW DELHI: Madrid-based Association International De RadioDifusion (AIR) and International Association of Broadcasting (IAB) have written to the Indian government exhorting green signal to news on private radio FM stations here.

    In a letter dispatched today to the information and broadcasting ministry in Delhi, the international association of private radio broadcasters, including FM, has also attached supportive documents on the regulatory environment from all across the globe where hard core news is allowed on private FM radio stations.

    In India, private FM radio stations are barred from carrying any news and current affairs programming, except information relating to the weather and stock market quotes.

    According to AIR and IAB president Alfonso Ruiz De Assin, “I fail to understand why news is not allowed in India (on private stations) as radio is the fastest medium and extremely user-friendly tool of communication.”

    Early this morning at Madrid (Spain), the general assembly of IAB, in principle, agreed to grant Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) an active membership. IAB is the global body of private FM Radio broadcasters with more than 17,000 frequencies as members.

    AROI co-coordinator and BAG Infotainment CEO Rajiv Mishra said, “We are glad to get membership of IAB and are hopeful that news will be allowed on private FM radio soon.”

  • Meredith Vieira to replace Katie Couric on NBC’s ‘Today’ show

    Meredith Vieira to replace Katie Couric on NBC’s ‘Today’ show

    MUMBAI: American television personality Meredith Vieira has been named co-anchor of US broadcaster NBC News’ Today,

    This announcement follows the departure of Katie Couric to CBS News.
    NBC Universal Television Group CEO Jeff Zucker says, “”This is an announcement that I couldn’t be happier to be making. Meredith’s vast experience as an award-winning journalist, as well as talk show host, make her the ideal candidate for this job. She joins a distinguished legacy of Today show co-anchors: from Barbara Walters to Jane Pauley to Katie Couric. We are lucky to have her as the newest member of Today and I am thrilled to welcome her to the NBC family.”

    Vieira said, “Before Jeff changes his mind, I am honored to accept this amazing opportunity. Not only is the Today show a great program within a superb news organisation, it’s also where America turns to begin the day. I look forward to joining Matt, Ann and Al in giving America the best each morning.”

    Matt Lauer who co-hosts the Today show says, “Meredith is a real pro, and I think it speaks volumes that NBC has brought her here to Today. I have been her fan for years and I can’t wait to be her partner. She has the perfect background and personality to make a real mark on this show and in morning news in general. I’m thrilled to welcome her aboard.”

    NBC News president Steve Capus says, “It is a tribute to everyone at ‘Today,’ and all of NBC News, that someone of Meredith’s caliber has joined our team. She is an eight-time Emmy award winner, a 60 Minutes veteran and real pro — her skills will be invaluable at ‘Today’ and throughout the division. We can’t wait to get started.”

    Vieira has been moderator of ABC’s The View since the show’s inception in 1997. She has been the host of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire since 2002. She started at the network in 1993 when she joined their news division as chief correspondent of Turning Point which debuted in March 1994 and where she earned her seventh Emmy Award.

    Vieira spent more than a decade at CBS News, where she garnered five Emmy Awards for her work as a correspondent on the top-ranking news magazines 60 Minutes and West 57th.