ITV

Tag: Bangalore

  • “Miss Rang De Sankranthi” cow crowning contest by Radio Mirchi

    BANGALORE: Radio Mirchi, Bangalore’s Sakkhat hot radio station is always at its wackiest best when it comes to engaging with the people of Bangalore. The auspicious occasion of Makara Sankranthi saw an unique celebration – a cow dressing contest where the best dressed ‘Cow’ was crowned Miss Rang De Sankranthi !

     

    The contest started off with a gathering of cows from in and around Bangalore on an early Monday afternoon. The owners were seen enjoying themselves dressing up their cows and getting creative with ribbons, colour papers etc. to outsmart the rest. Once ready, the cows were made to “Cat Walk” around the grounds to judge the three best dressed cows! Also seen enjoying herself was the renowned film director Kavitha Lankesh who gave away the prizes. The winner sauntered away with attractive cash prizes like: Rs, 4000/- for the winner, the first runner up won Rs. 3000/- and the second runner up won Rs. 2000/-.

     

    Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Romen Sood, Executive VP and Regional Director South and East, Radio Mirchi said “Radio Mirchi is rooted in the culture of this city, identifying with traditions that mark any important festival. Our initiative ‘Rang De Sankranthi’ is aimed at adding colour and a streak of uniqueness to the cheer & gaiety that marks Makara Sankranthi celebrations in the city.”

     

    The Makara Sankranti celebrations in Bangalore kick started on Jan 11, 2007 with a Rangoli competition called “Rang De Sankranthi” which was held at different pockets of the city. A traditionally decorated ‘Canter’ was also going around the city spreading cheer by distributing Pongal, Sugarcane and the traditional “Yellu Biru”.

  • Star plans radio re-entry, to pick up 20 per cent in Radio City

    Star plans radio re-entry, to pick up 20 per cent in Radio City

    MUMBAI: Star Group plans to pick up 20 per cent in Music Broadcast Pvt. Ltd. (MBPL), marking a re-entry into the private FM radio business.

    Star is buying the stake from India Value Fund, (earlier GW Capital) a venture capital fund. With this, India Value Fund’s holding will drop from 75 per cent to 55 per cent.

    In early 2005, Star had sold its stake in MBPL, the company which operates its FM radio stations under the Radio City brand, for Rs 300 million. India Value Fund had acquired a controlling stake in MBPL.

    “Star is buying back the 20 per cent it had sold earlier in MBPL. The radio business is set to explode with the government changing its policy and opening up the second phase of private FM expansion,” says a source close to the company. He, however, could not confirm the price Star is paying to acquire the stake.

    MBPL chief executive officer Apurva Purohit was not available for comment. Star officials also could not be reached. The government regulations permit only 20 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the FM radio business.

    In May 2005, Star had discontinued its arrangement of supplying content to MBPL. Later in the year the country’s biggest television network in terms of revenue also ceased doing air time sales for Radio City.

    Since the inception of Radio City, MBPL had contracted Star to provide its expertise in the areas of programming, ad sales and marketing. The operations were handled through DigiWave, a 50:50 joint venture between Star and the PK Mittal-promoted Ispat group.

    Radio City is already operational in seven cities comprising Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai and Jaipur. The plan is to launch in 13 more cities including Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Sangli, Akola and Nagpur.

  • Dopod launches in India with convergent mobiles

    Dopod launches in India with convergent mobiles

    NEW DELHI: Dopod International Corporation, a leading PDA phone and Smartphone provider, today opened their India operations, setting up office in New Delhi. The company is launching here with three models that has convergent technology powered by Microsoft.

    Dopod also announced the appointment of Ajay Sharma as the Regional Sales Manager, Dopod Communications (India) Private Limited, to oversee its Indian operations.

    Sharma told indiantelevision.com “Initially, we are introducing three handset models – C800, C720 and 818Pro in India. These devices are aimed at providing the combined power of telecom and IT through a unique, convergent solution with Microsoft.”

    Sharma will manage Dopod International’s new office, serving as India’s first Regional Sales Manager, India, overseeing all marketing and business development activities in the region.

    Asked about the company’s investment plans in India, Sharma said: “Presently, we are just setting up a distribution base here to cater to the Indian market. In due course we will be investing a substantial amount in marketing and sales related activities”.

    The models being introduced are 818Pro, a GSM Quad Band PDA phone that enables users to communicate by voice, any place around the world; the C720W, which supports Bluetooth v2.0 w/A2DP & AVRCP, and USB 1.1 for charging and data transfer and also provides GSM Quadband with GPRS & EDGE & hi-speed WLAN access 802.11g.; and C800, which has a sliding QWERTY keypad and 5-way navigation button that “makes messaging a breeze”.

    The last also offers the “ultimate connectivity”, with Bluetooth v2.0 w/A2DP & AVRCP, and a USB port for charging and data synchronisation, and provides GSM Quadband with GPRS & EDGE & hi-speed WLAN access 802.11g.

    Company executives explained that Dopod have entered the Indian market late, after it has seen the expansion phase into the B and C class cities, and the Class A cities have matured into creating a large demand for convergent mobile phones.

    “Dopod International would offer sophisticated and innovative converged solutions to the Indian consumers, which would be at par with the best designs and trends prevalent internationally. The distribution of its handsets models in India would start through a strategic tie-up with National Distributor, Jaina Marketing & Associates,” Sharma said.

    Asked about the roadmap for the company in India, Sharma said, “In the first phase Dopod plans to make its handsets available to Indian customers in 10 cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat and Chandigarh.

    Dopod International Corporation was founded in 2002, and has expanded rapidly, Sharma said.

    By the end of 2007, Dopod plans to set up operations in 25 cities in the country.Talking about the models on offer, Sharma said: “818Pro is designed simply to appeal to the no-fuss crowd. It is a light, small and futuristic device which comes in lifestyle design with incredibly enhanced features.”

    The machine packs a host of comprehensive connectivity options, including WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Infrared, GPRS (on top of basic features like SMS and MMS), making it “an unparalleled choice for not only general consumers but also mobile business professionals”, Sharma claimed.

    Powered by the advanced Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0, the 818Pro comes with a full suite of applications for viewing and editing files, like Pocket Word, Excel, Power Point, managing address book and e-mails like Pocket Outlook while allowing users full access to the Internet.

    In addition, the 818Pro also comes bundled with the WorldCard Mobile Business Card Capture Solution software. “This means users can now enjoy easy business card data input. All they need is to take a picture of a business card with the intelligent software and all their contacts are instantly captured, recognised, sorted and stored,” according to Sharma.

    Model C720W has a lean and mean design, Sharma said, adding that runs on user-friendly Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone operating system. “Windows Mobile 5.0 with DirectPush Technology allows you to instantly synchronise emails, calendars and schedules, and besides, you can access PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents allowing you to work even while on the go,” Sharma explained. It has a built-in 128 MB ROM, 64 MB RAM with persistent storage and a Micro-SD card slot, he added.

    Model C800 is the “slimmest PDA Phone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard”, but apart from that has all the features of C720W.

  • Radio City moves to common frequency of 91.1 FM

    Radio City moves to common frequency of 91.1 FM

    MUMBAI: Music Broadcast Private Ltd promoted Radio City has adopted to a common frequency 91.1, which becomes effective from tomorrow (27 October).

    Among all the stations that Music Broadcast operates, it is only Radio City Jaipur that has been broadcasting on the 91.1 frequency since its launch. Besides Jaipur, Radio City operates in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Lucknow.

    Radio City, which launched its radio operations on different frequency in Mumbai 91 FM, Delhi 91 FM, Hyderabad 106.4 FM, Bangalore 91 FM, Lucknow 104.8 FM and Chennai 105.8 FM, will all shift on 91.1 FM, according to a press statement. 

    With its shift of frequency, Radio City will be unveiling some new shows, interviews, contests and prizes.

    As part of the big activation idea, Radio City 91.1 FM has planned a host of on-air and on-ground activities at happening malls across the city like Landmark and Lifestyle, across multiplexes like PVR and several hip hangouts. 

    Radio City will launch Get lucky contest from 27 October up till 29 October. The contest will see five lucky listeners winning a Philips DVD every day across all stations and 1 lucky listener will walk away with a Philips Home Theatre. The contest gala will continue through the week with listeners winning goodies in all shows.

    According to Radio City marketing head Rana Barua, “Even as we change our frequency to 91.1 FM, we will have a better offering for our listeners with more stars, more innovative shows more music, and more prizes. We will continue to redefine the programming limits in order to sustain our musical expertise and our leadership position.” 

  • Hungama TV Captains Hunt auditions kick off 28 October

    Hungama TV Captains Hunt auditions kick off 28 October

    MUMBAI: Currently in its third year, the Parle-G Hungama TV Captains Hunt 2006 is set to kick off the audition stage. With the inclusion of Indore, Baroda and Hyderabad, the hunt will travel across 10 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Lucknow . The first two-day audition will commence in Kolkata on 28 and 29 October at St. Thomas Boys School.

    Having received a favourable response, of about 1,68,318 kids, Hungama TV will finally select 10 kids in the age group of 8-14 years to represent their respective cities as the Hungama TV Captains providing their valuable inputs in running the channel.

    At this stage, the articulation ability and confidence levels would be tested through a method of extempore speech. The uniqueness, level of achievement and ambition to pursue the talent at this level will also be measured. This year, instead of the evaluation rounds being based on artistic abilities, a balance of the right and left-brain skills will be tested.

    Qualified judges from the event’s knowledge partner – Origentest would evaluate all the rounds to arrive at two candidates per city who would compete in the Grand Finale to be held in Mumbai on 9 and 10 December, informs an official release.

    What’s different, is that the premise for this year’s talent hunt is to ‘Find and Shape the Future Leaders of India’ thus, several leaders from various industries will form a Captains Advisory Council (CAC) to meet the Captains on a regular basis and provide them with a sound platform to hone their nascent talent, while giving them advice and direction to emerge as leaders of tomorrow.

    As reported earlier, the channel has set aside a budget of Rs 10+ million for this year’s Captain’s Hunt. Hungama TV will be pushing the initiative via on air promotions and on-ground initiatives primarily through the intensive School Contact Program.

    Initiated in 2004, this concept allows a Board of Kid directors to give active and regular feedback on running of the channel specifically in the area of programming, marketing, distribution and competition.

  • Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    MUMBAI: Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group controlled Adlabs Films’ net profit stood at Rs 204 million for the quarter ended 30 September as against Rs 62.86 million for the same period last year.

    The second quarter total income recorded an increase of Rs 595.97 million from Rs 246.82 million for the July-September quarter 2005.

    Operating profit stood at Rs 309.51 million as against Rs 110.04 million for the corresponding period last year .

    The company’s expenditure for the quarter closed at Rs 286.45 million as compared to the previous fiscal period Rs 136.79 million.

    Recently, the company picked up 51 per cent stake in Siddharth Basu promoted Synergy Communications. The company also launched its radio stations in Delhi , Hyderabad , Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore, under the brand name Big 92.7 FM.

  • Big 92.7 FM signs up Mohinder Amarnath for ICC updates

    Big 92.7 FM signs up Mohinder Amarnath for ICC updates

    MUMBAI: The cricket bee has stung the newly launched private FM player Big 92.7 FM! The brand has signed up with ‘Jimmy’ Mohinder Amarnath, the 1983 World Cup match winner, to provide updates on the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.

    The ICC World Cup Champions Trophy kicked off 7 October and will continue till 5 November. Spout chewing gum has been roped in to sponsor the updates on Big 92.7FM.

    According to an official statement, Amaranth will be offering regular cricket updates on Big 92.7 FM four to five times a day to provide a ringside update on the matches and players performance and even a few interesting tid-bits on the player’s and team’s performance. 

    The show will be broadcast in Hindi on New Delhi station and in English on Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore stations. The brand is likely to launch in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore in the coming weeks.

    Speaking on the occasion, Big 92.7 FM COO Tarun Katial said, “It is our endeavour to create an edge and provide our listeners with exclusive entertainment. Cricket is a sport which unites the nation and it is our way of offering Big entertainment on Big 92.7FM. The credibility of Mohinder Amarnath gels with the Station’s aim of providing credible and relevant information to our listeners.”

  • Hathway launches cable TV services in Jhansi

    Hathway launches cable TV services in Jhansi

    MUMBAI:The Rajan Raheja promoted Hathway Cable & Datacom has teamed up with the dominant cable operator in Jhansi and launched services under the name Hathway JMD SR Cable & Datacom Pvt. Ltd.

    SR Network started its operations in December 2004 and it provides cable TV services to the entire city of Jhansi.

    Hathway will provide over 90 analogue television channels to its subscribers. The cable service company will soon be launching ‘voice over cable’ services, which will enable the MSO to be a true ‘triple player’ with digital, high speed internet and voice services, according to an official statement.

    The deal Hathway has struck with SR Network is similar to the one it entered into in Kanpur in April where it operates as a joint venture with Jai Mata Di Sherawali (Sanjeev Dikshit promoter) under the brand name Hathway Jai Mata Di Sherawali Cable & Datacom Pvt. Ltd. Hathway JMD has subsequently started operations in Farukhabad and Unnav.

    Starting with Kanpur, Hathway plans to take the digital revolution forward gradually in other cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Kanpur will be the first city in UP which will provide Digital Cable TV transmission from December 2006.

    Hathway’s Digital Cable TV services are presently available in Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bangalore , Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Jalandhar.

    The digital services are offered through a remote controlled digital device called the Set Top Box. The digital device is feature packed and it changes the entire TV viewing experience for the subscriber. The key features include DVD picture quality, stereophonic sound, a capacity to receive more than 1000 channels, an EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) which enables programme reservations & reminders, positioning of favourite channels, parental control, information banner and selection of channels by genre etc.

    The other value added services such as video-on-Demand, interactive gamming etc. are also available with Hathway’s digital set top box.

    Apart from Analogue Cable TV and Digital Cable TV services, Hathway provides Cable Broadband services with high – speed connectivity from 256 Kbps onwards through the high bandwidth capability of cable. Hathway’s Broadband Internet is presently available in the cities of New Delhi, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mysore and Chandigarh.

    Hathway also has under its umbrella Cine Channel (CCC), a movie based entertainment channel and I-TV a dial – up interactive music channel that operates like a juke box and local channels like Win Cable & Win Movies.

  • McDonald’s & NGC kick off ‘Roboraptor Contest’

    McDonald’s & NGC kick off ‘Roboraptor Contest’

    MUMBAI: McDonald’s, food service retailer in association with National Geographic Channel flags of its latest in-store promotion for kids, the ‘Roboraptor Contest’.e

    McDonald’s outlets across Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bangalore and Hyderabad will promote the ‘Roboraptor Contest’, where kids can win toys from the animated series Dragonball Z with every happy meal.

    In addition, the ‘Roboraptor’ a remote controlled dinosaur, as the bumper prize is up for grabs.

    McDonald’s, food service retailer in association with National Geographic Channel flags of its latest in-store promotion for kids, the ‘Roboraptor Contest’. Every ‘Happy Meal’ entitles kids to participate in the ‘Roboraptor Contest’. With a coupon from the happy meal box kids can SMS the six-digit code to 7007 and winners will be chosen randomly and announced daily at the McDonald’s outlet.

    The bumper prize, will be announced at the end of the promotion, which will culminate on 7 October 2006.

  • Karnataka MSO Amogh Broadband plans expansion

    Karnataka MSO Amogh Broadband plans expansion

    MUMBAI: Amogh Broadband Services, a multi-system operator (MSO) owned by Karnataka chief minister D Kumaraswamy’s wife Anitha and a group of entrepreneurs, is on a major expansion spree.

    The promoters have recently bought out the 26 per cent stake held by Pratap Wadhwa who heads Hinduja-owned Incablenet in Bangalore. Plans are now afoot to launch digital cable TV service in Bangalore by 15 October while expanding analogue business into the other bigger towns of Karnataka.

    “Wadhwa has offloaded his stake in Amogh Broadband. We are investing heavily on expanding our cable network,” says Amogh Broadband director M V Prasad Babu.

    The set-top boxes (STBs) will be supplied by Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) and is expected to be priced at Rs 2,200 (excluding taxes). The company is also in advanced negotiations with a vendor from Taiwan for the high-end STBs.

    The conditional access system (CAS) platform is being provided by Norway’s Conax. The subscriber management system (SMS) solutions will be from Hyderabad-based MagnaQuest. “We will have one digital headend in Bangalore,” says Babu.

    Amogh has a control room for analogue cable in Bangalore, Hasan and Mandya. “We offer 103 television channels on our analogue cable and are spread over three districts. We plan to have 150 channels on our digital system,” Babu says.

    The MSO has tied up with Railtel to spread its reach throughout the state. “In the first phase, we will expand our network in these three districts. Then we will look at the other regions of Karnataka,” says Babu.

    Amogh also plans to launch broadband services for its subscribers. “We had tied up with Spectranet and Dishnet and were offering broadband. But we have stopped this now and are planning to soon have our own broadband service through the ethernet. We will only be targeting retail customers,” says Babu.

    The promoters of Amogh are also launching a general entertainment and news channel, Kannada Kasturi, through a separate company, Kasturi Media Pvt Ltd.