ITV

Tag: BBC America

  • 2014 BAFTA: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo among honourees

    2014 BAFTA: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo among honourees

    MUMBAI: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Emma Watson, Judi Dench and director Mike Leigh were announced as this year’s honourees for the BAFTA Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards.

     

    Hosted by Rob Brydon, the award ceremony will take place on 30 October and air on BBC America on 2 November.

     

    The recipients are chosen by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles board of directors.

     

    The Iron Man star is this year’s recipient of the ‘Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film’. Prior winners include Warren Beatty and Tom Hanks. His latest movie The Judge with Robert Duvall is slated to release on 10 October.

     

    The Emmy Nominee Mark Ruffalo, is being honored with the ‘Britannia Humanitarian Award’ for his work with Water Defense. Ruffalo co-founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping waterways and drinking water sources free from contamination and will be seen in November in Foxcatche. Prior winners include Idris Elba and Don Cheadle.

     

    British director Mike Leigh, whose latest film Mr. Turner opens in December, will receive the ‘John Schlesinger Award for British Artist of the Year’. This honour pays tribute to a British artist “whose outstanding performances in a year have demonstrated the high quality of their craftsmanship. “

     

    While the Harry Potter star Emma Watson is the recipient of the ‘Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year’. Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench will be honoured with the ‘Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution.’

     

    The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers to advancing the entertainment arts.

  • Mumbai cops raid 7 Star Dot Com for “illegal” channel distribution

    Mumbai cops raid 7 Star Dot Com for “illegal” channel distribution

    MUMBAI: The heavy hand of the law is coming down on those involved in the distribution of TV signals. Last month, the cops swooped down on OTT services provider Jadoo TV’s offices in Hyderabad for allegedly pirating TV signals and streaming them over the internet illegally, following a complaint by Maa TV. Equipment was confiscated, staff arrested. 

     

    Yesterday, it was the turn of the Mumbai based independent multi system operator (MSO) 7 Star Dot Com. It was raided by a group of close to 15 police officials. Reason: illegal transmission of 10 international channels.

     

    The channels include HBO, HBO Family, BBC America, Sky Movie and Show Beyond among others. “We had got the information about the illegal transmission of channels. We monitored the platform from 3:30 pm onwards on 14 July and then conducted the raid, late in the night,” informs DCP Mahesh Patil.

     

    The raid was conducted by the Social Service Branch located in Crawford Market of south Mumbai. The decoders, transmitters and adaptors of the MSO have been confiscated. “We will now file a complaint with the Metropolitan Magistrate under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. The platform was telecasting the channels without having the licence for the same,” adds Patil.

     

    As per the procedure, a report will also be filed with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. “We will file the case and the report in a couple of days,” he says. After studying the report, a show cause notice will be issued against 7 Star.

     

    One of the MSOs operating in Mumbai comments, “It is a good step which has been taken by the authorities. There should be a level playing field for all the platforms.”

     

    None of the 7 Star executives were available for comment.

  • BBC signs partnership with Twitter Amplify

    BBC signs partnership with Twitter Amplify

    MUMBAI: BBC Global News has announced a new partnership with Twitter Amplify, the social broadcast network service’s innovative video promotion tool.

     

    This is the first Twitter Amplify partnership with a global news broadcaster. Commenting on the same, BBC global news director of digital & technology James Montgomery said, “This new collaboration harnesses our global reach and newsgathering capabilities to bring our advertising partners clever and impressive products. Building on the efforts of BBC America’s partnership with Twitter, we’re thrilled to bring our ad partners with us at the cutting edge of news.”

     

    BBC Global News will provide the global Twitter community timely in-tweet video clips that complement its global newsgathering operation. This partnership offers BBC Global News and its future brand partners an integrated cross-platform tool to reach new audiences on Twitter. BBC Global News operates BBC World Service radio, BBC World News television, and bbc.com/news outside the UK.

     

    “What makes this partnership exciting is the amazing content Twitter users will get from BBC Global News, no matter where they are in the world,” said Twitter Amplify senior director Glenn Brown. “We look forward to working with BBC Global News to bring these programmes to market.”

     

    BBC.com has already begun production of a new in-Tweet broadcast, #BBCTrending, a new series of innovative short form video broadcasts that will be presented by Anne-Marie Tomchak (@AMTomchak) and will launch later this fall. The broadcast will give users the inside story behind the latest trending phenomena on social media that day. #BBCTrending is distributed to the 4.8 million followers of the BBC international news Twitter handle, @BBCWorld, and will be enhanced by Twitter Amplify.

     

    #BBC Trending will incorporate three key elements:

     

    1. The BBC’s international social media reach and 24-hour video production operation
    2. The BBC’s global newsgathering and monitoring operations, which provide both round the clock news reporting and monitoring of global TV, radio, press, internet and news agency sources, and
    3. Twitter Amplify’s innovative real-time video promotion tool.

     

    “Being a part of this new project is thrilling,” said Tomchak. As the face of #BBCTrending, Tomchak will be working with production units across the BBC to identify and build compelling conversations on what’s trending around the world. “On Trending, we’re tapping the most powerful internal insight tools and the massive BBC international newsgathering and language operations to decipher why and how trends are happening on social media around the world.”

     

    In April, BBC America signed a similar deal with Twitter Amplify to offer the first in-Tweet branded video synced to hit series, including Top Gear.

  • BBC World News, BBC America expand distribution in the US

    BBC World News, BBC America expand distribution in the US

    MUMBAI: BBC America and BBC World News today announced wider expansion in Time Warner Cable systems for the BBC‘s 24-hour global TV news channel BBC World News in the US and increased distribution for BBC America, the home of acclaimed series ‘Doctor Who‘, ‘Copper‘, ‘Luther‘, Top Gea‘r and ‘The Hour‘.

    BBC Worldwide America executive VP network distribution Sandy Ashendorf said, "It‘s been a record-breaking year for BBC America, as our iconic sci-fi series Doctor Who has reached new heights and we‘ve created new original programming including ‘Copper‘, our highest-rated series premiere ever. We‘re excited to expand BBC America‘s partnership with Time Warner Cable and launch BBC World News, which has seen record distribution growth in the past year."

    BBC World News will be added to the digital basic package in most Time Warner Cable systems before the end of December 2012. It will see increased distribution in several cities. By year-end, BBC World News will be carried in top US markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and San Francisco.

    As a result of its expanded relationship with Time Warner Cable and other multichannel operator deals over the past two years, BBC World News will have grown its reach by over 10 million new homes in 2012 and in total, BBC World News will reach 25 million full time homes in the US following the Time Warner Cable launches.

    GN COO Jim Egan said, "I‘m delighted to see BBC World News coming to Time Warner Cable – this is another important foothold for our global news channel in the highly competitive US market. We are really pleased by the growing demand in the US for a global news network which is both non-partisan and non-sensational in approach. BBC World News is about serious news; with on the ground reporting and analysis from different parts of the world and a mandate to inform and provide a balanced view. We know that audiences around the world value the channel‘s distinctive world view and we are pleased that more US viewers now have access to it."

    Time Warner Cable also will increase BBC America‘s reach. In January, BBC America will debut new drama ‘Ripper Street‘, set in London in the aftermath of Jack the Ripper, and new original series ‘Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan‘. New episodes of ‘Doctor Who‘, ‘Copper‘, ‘Luther‘, ‘Top Gear‘, ‘The Graham Norton Show‘, ‘Being Human‘, ‘The Thick of It‘ plus new original drama ‘Orphan Black‘ and mini-series ‘Spies of Warsaw‘ have also been announced for next year.

    The past two years have been an important breakthrough period for BBC World News as it continues to expand its distribution. The BBC is investing heavily in new programs and facilities as it seeks to build on recent successes growing audiences and reputation around the world. This will include the launch of new state of the art studios for the channel in January 2013, at the BBC‘s new building in central London.

    BBC World News has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world, reaching over 350 million households and broadcasting in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with access to more than 70 international newsgathering bureaus. Its programming includes the Emmy©-winning daily newscast, BBC World News America, anchored by Katty Kay from the BBC‘s studio in Washington DC. Broadcasting 24-hours a day, the channel offers US audiences high-quality global news from the BBC‘s network of global correspondents, as well as documentaries and current affairs programming, in an HD format.

    Within the US, BBC Global News is an international multimedia provider of news and current affairs programming across broadcast and digital platforms. Alongside the 24 hour TV news channel BBC World News, more than 500 local public radio stations in the US broadcast BBC World Service content – mainly news and current affairs programming, including the flagship global newscast ‘Newshour‘.

  • BBC Worldwide restructures in US for growth

    MUMBAI: Five months into the job, BBC Worldwide America president Garth Ancier has restructured his senior team to take BBC Worldwide’s American-based businesses to the next level.

    He says, “By creating new roles, bringing in some fresh faces and promoting talent within the organisation I am positioning the company for growth. The BBC produces more quality television content than any other company and is one of the premier media brands in the world. We now have a strong team working together to expand that brand across the US, focussing on growth areas including channels, content and production and digital.”

    In the newly-created role, BBC executive VP, business development and digital media, Luke Bradley-Jones transfers to the company’s New York headquarters, starting 1 September. Most recently head of strategy at BBC Worldwide in London, Bradley-Jones will work closely with Ancier and Michael Ross, recently appointed executive VP, business affairs and operations, to develop new revenue streams and identify acquisitions and joint ventures to help the business grow aggressively in this market. He will also oversee US digital media initiatives, including setting and implementing the company’s digital on-demand strategy, and ensure that BBC Worldwide America is strategically aligned with global digital media activities, including bbc.com and global distribution deals.

    Chris Carr has been appointed as COO, US channels. A member of the original BBC America launch team, Carr was formerly CFO. In his new role, he assumes responsibility for all channel operations. Andrew Bott’s role as CFO is expanded across the whole company to include BBC America.

    Paul Telegdy continues to head the company’s growing West Coast production house, responsible for Dancing with the Stars. His promotion to executive vice president, content and production, reflects the company’s scale of ambition and addition of a second production base, in New York, focussed on the cable industry.