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Tag: BBC

  • BBC Advertising opens first office in Switzerland

    BBC Advertising opens first office in Switzerland

    MUMBAI: BBC Advertising has opened its first office in Switzerland, as it looks to capitalise on the recent growth in the market and build on its existing successful business relationships there.

    As growth in the Swiss market has been fuelled predominantly by the luxury category, BBC Advertising, part of the UK pubcaster‘s commercial arm BBC Worldwide, is positioned to meet that demand, with the BBC commercial platforms‘ editorial output and production values attracting the premium demographic that luxury brands are seeking.

    The increasing move towards online and its accompanying video formats also presents a great opportunity for advertisers to benefit from appearing on BBC Advertising‘s wide range of platforms, which includes BBC.com, lonelyplanet.com, digital apps as well as its network of commercial television channels, including BBC World News.

    According to recent research by Toluna, TV and online are the most effective platforms for inspiring consumption of luxury goods among both men and women.

    BBC Advertising has also today announced the appointment of Sarah Green to lead the new operation in Switzerland, based in Lausanne.

    Reporting into BBC Advertising‘s Regional Director for France, Benelux & Switzerland, Laeticia de Belloy Green will be responsible for managing the existing international client base in Switzerland and for developing new business opportunities across the BBC Worldwide commercial portfolio.

    Green commented, “Setting up this new office presents us with an exciting opportunity to connect international media buyers in Switzerland with all the fantastic content and innovative ways of delivery that only BBC Advertising can offer. I‘m excited about finding new opportunities and building fruitful new relationships.”

    de Belloy said: “BBC Advertising is delighted to have Sarah heading up our new office in Lausanne. She brings with her great expertise, insight and enthusiasm and I look forward to seeing our business grow and develop in Switzerland.”

  • Rohit heads BBC advertising for South Asia

    Rohit heads BBC advertising for South Asia

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has appointed Rohit Gopakumar as VP, South Asia for BBC Advertising.

    Based in Mumbai, Gopakumar will be responsible for generating local and International sales revenues for BBC’s TV and online products including BBC World News, BBC.com, mobile, LonelyPlanet.com, Worldwide Channels and Global Brands.

    While primarily responsible for India, his geographic responsibility also includes Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

    BBC Worldwide regional director ad sales, South Asia Seema Mohapatra had left the organisation in mid-December, after spending 12 and a half years in the organisation. She was handling ad sales for BBC World News, BBC Entertainment and bbc.com.

    As the business head for all advertising revenue in South Asia, Gopakumar will lead a team of 25 news and entertainment sales staff in three offices across India, and manage the existing portfolio of products as well as advice on strategic new business opportunities in the news and entertainment category in the region.

    Additionally, he will develop strategic alliances with clients, agencies and partners to grow revenues and establish BBC World News and BBC.com as a preferred media partner for Indian corporations and government agencies targeting global audiences in key International markets.

    BBC Advertising, Asia senior VP Sunita Rajan said: “We are very excited to have Rohit join BBC Advertising in India. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will enable us to shift into the next stage of growth for BBC Worldwide’s businesses in South Asia.”

    Gopakumar has over 17 years in the media industry including at Times of India, Star TV, NDTV Media and most recently Aidem Ventures, an independent media sales aggregation company.

  • David Yates developing Who for film remake

    David Yates developing Who for film remake

    MUMBAI: Harry Potter director David Yates is developing The BBC television series Who one of the longest-running in British history.


    The development of the film that would have no connection to the show is in the very early stages. This allows Yates to work on other projects.


    Who centers on an eccentric man known as the Doctor, an alien time lord who travels space and time with the help of a machine called the TARDIS, whose exterior appears to be a small police box but is actually gigantic inside. He regularly teams up with humans to save worlds.


    Various actors have played the Doctor over the show‘s run, with the explanation being that when the character is dying, he can regenerate his body into a new form. The conceit could work wonderfully in a long-running movie franchise a la James Bond or Batman.


    After it ran successfully between 1963 and 1989, the show was re launched into a global franchise in 2005.


    Since the movie series ended, his name has surfaced in connection with several projects. Nothing has stuck so far, as Yates is taking his time choosing his follow-up.

  • Isabelle Huppert wins BBC Four World Cinema award

    Isabelle Huppert wins BBC Four World Cinema award

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC‘s channel BBC Four has announced that actor Isabelle Huppert is to be the recipient of the World Cinema Achievement Award at the eighth BBC Four World Cinema Awards, celebrating the best of international film-making and highlighting the channel‘s commitment to international cinema.

    Huppert is famous for fearlessly embracing challenging roles – most notably in ‘The Piano Teacher‘. Huppert has worked with numerous great directors such as Chabrol, Godard, Haneke and Tavernier.

    BBC Arts commissioning editor Mark Bell said, “It is a privilege to welcome the extraordinary Isabelle Huppert to this year‘s awards. She has delivered outstanding performances through her long career, and we are honoured that she has accepted this year‘s Achievement Award.”

    Huppert will receive her award at a special BBC Four television ceremony, presented by Jonathan Ross on 15 November at the BFI Southbank in London, to be aired on 20 November.

    BBC Four will also showcase Isabelle Huppert‘s talents by broadcasting her film ‘White Material‘ immediately after the World Cinema Awards in November.

  • Hollywood actress Jennifer Grey to be guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing

    Hollywood actress Jennifer Grey to be guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that Hollywood star Jennifer Grey will foxtrot into the dance based reality show ‘Strictly Come Dancing‘ as a guest judge next month.

    Stepping into Len Goodman‘s shoes for one week, Grey will join Craig Revel Horwood, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli on 5 and 6 November.

    She is most famous for her leading lady role in ‘Dirty Dancing‘. Last year she and professional partner Derek Hough were crowned champions of ‘Dancing With The Stars‘, the US version of Strictly.

    The couple achieved consistently high scores throughout Season 11 and lifted the glitter-ball trophy after revisiting their first week dance – the Viennese Waltz.

    Grey said, “I am delighted to be involved. I so look forward to making the pilgrimage to the birthplace of the greatest dance show, the mecca of spray tans and tangos, and to sit in for the great and pernickety Len Goodman.”

    Waltzing her way from the dance-floor to the judging panel, Grey will be able to draw upon her personal dancing experiences to offer a constructive critique to the remaining couples in the competition.

    Due to his commitments with both Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars, Len Goodman will take a week off Strictly Come Dancing and will return to the judging panel from 12 November.

  • BBC condemns verdict against its Tajikistan correspondent

    BBC condemns verdict against its Tajikistan correspondent

    MUMBAI: BBC World Service has condemned the guilty verdict against its correspondent in Tajikistan, Urunboy Usmonov.

    Usmonov and the BBC have consistently maintained that all allegations of association with Islamic extremists are completely unfounded and that Usmonov is innocent of all charges.

    The BBC believes that no evidence of wrong doing whatsoever emerged during the trial, and that only a complete exoneration of its correspondent is acceptable.

    Despite being given amnesty, Usmonov intends to appeal to a higher court to clear his name.  
         
    BBC Global News director Peter Horrocks said, “We will continue to support Urunboy and hope that the appeal process will lead to his reputation as a highly respected writer and journalist being restored. We also intend to press for answers over the torture and mistreatment Urunboy suffered while in custody and to raise real concerns about shortcomings in the legal process.”

    When questioned during his trial, Usmonov told the court that he‘d been tortured in custody following his arrest on 13 June this year, including beatings and security officers burning his arms with cigarettes. He also said he‘d been forced to sign a confession which had been dictated to him.

  • GoodFood Magazine awards creative mandate to Mudra West

    GoodFood Magazine awards creative mandate to Mudra West

    MUMBAI: Mudra West has bagged the creative mandate of BBC GoodFood Magazine. This is the fifth world wide media account that the unit will handle.


    The magazine will hit the stands on 21 October.


    Mudra West president Arijit Ray said, “This is our fifth brand from the Worldwide Media portfolio. It will be our privilege to shape another iconic brand – India Charter Good Food. We look forward to working very closely with the brand team to launch it on the 21 October.”


    Incidentally, Mudra West also handles the creative duties of Lonely Planet and BBC TopGear, the other two brands from the same publisher.


    Publisher of Lonely Planet, BBC TopGear and BBC GoodFood Magazines Debolin Sen said, “Food is the most exciting story unfolding in India. The launch of BBC GoodFood Magazine is yet another interesting journey we embark on. A brand with an incredible legacy, GoodFood allows you to explore and chart new territories.”


    “Our phase wise launch build up to 21 October is in full flow. Frankly, we couldn‘t have asked for a better creative partner than Mudra West to assist us. I am glad they are handling GoodFood in addition to Lonely Planet and Top Gear- three prestigious and iconic brands,” Sen added.

  • BBC accused of back-door advertising for Berghaus clothing

    BBC accused of back-door advertising for Berghaus clothing

    MUMBAI: After negotiating a deal to buy jackets at a discount of 45 per cent from Berghaus clothing, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been accused of allowing its presenters to advertise for the manufacturers of reliable outdoor clothing by the back door.

    The back door advertising came to light after BBC’s presenters such as its news anchor George Alagiah and diplomatic correspondent Peter Hunt were seen in the jackets bearing Berghaus’ red and blue logo along with its name.

    Similar was the case with the Corporation’s regional reporters Jon Kay, Alex Bushill and Fiona Trott, science host Professor Brian Cox and Coast presenter Neil Oliver. Regional reporters have also appeared in the firm’s clothing, as has the BBC’s diplomatic and royal correspondent, Peter Hunt.

    It may be noted that guidelines of BBC’s editorial state that staff should adhere to a set of strict rules banning them from the on-screen promotion of products or brands.

  • Michalis Cacoyannis no more

    Michalis Cacoyannis no more

     MUMBAI: Acclaimed Cypriot film director, screenwriter and producer Michalis Cacoyannis passed away yesterday in Athens.


    Five-time Academy Award nominee 89-year old Cacoyannis was born in Limassol in 1921 and went to London to train as a lawyer in 1939.


    During his stay in London Cacoyannis produced Greek-language programmes for the BBC world service, discovered a latent interest in film and ended up studying theatre at the renowned Old Vic proceeding to work on the stage before turning to directing.


    He moved to Greece in 1953 and made his first film, Windfall in Athens that was nominated for a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film festival. 


    Among his films were Iphigenia, Attilas ‘74, Zorba the Greek, Electra and Stella.
     
     

  • BBC Worldwide announces new factual commissions

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Channels has confirmed two new factual titles set to launch internationally this year.

    Originating from Australia, ‘Free Rein‘ and ‘The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves by Appointment‘ come from the production companies Lonely Planet TV, Freehand and The Full Box Productions. They will air locally on UKTV, as well as on international feeds of BBC Knowledge, BBC HD and BBC Entertainment.

    BBC Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer president Jana Bennett said, “It remains an important part of our strategy to increase our commitment to local commissions. These titles represent a fraction of the rich plethora of stories across our markets just waiting to be told and I‘m delighted that our international audiences will get to experience them through our channels.”

    In Free Rein, a special for BBC Knowledge, film and television actors Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward ‘The Thorn Birds‘ go in search of the spirit of Australia on the ultimate horseback adventure across The Kimberley, the Outback‘s last frontier.

    Although they come from very different backgrounds, two passions that this husband-and-wife team share are a love of horses and a fascination with the true stories of Australian history.
    These are the drivers that set them on a challenging personal journey across the remotest region of the country.

    It will launch internationally on BBC Knowledge this year and also air on BBC HD and BBC Entertainment.

    Executive producer Sue Norton of Lonely Planet TV said, “This is a fantastic project – we‘re heading to Australia‘s wild west and taking a step back in time to give audiences a true grit Lonely Planet experience.”

    The dramatised documentary, ‘The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves‘ by Appointment, will tell the story of the most spectacularly successful shoplifting gang in history. The Kangaroo Gang was a brazen band of Australian thieves who ran riot in London for more than a decade.

    Led by its charismatic ‘King‘ Arthur Delaney, the gang targeted the plush retailers of Knightsbridge and Mayfair, as well as crossing Europe to lay siege to the luxury emporia of Paris, Brussels, Rome and beyond.

    Based on the book King of Thieves by author Adam Shand, The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves by Appointment is produced by The Full Box Productions for UKTV in Australia and BBC Knowledge globally.

    BBC Worldwide Australia‘s Director of Television Deirdre Brennan said, “Free Rein and The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves by Appointment are two superb Australian programmes that will have huge appeal to our local audiences. In Free Rein, we share a remarkable experience with two fascinating Australians as they journey through the breathtaking landscapes of the Outback.

    “And ‘The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves by Appointment‘ is an innovative recreation of a famous chapter in Australian and UK crime history; it will be a world premiere highlight of our cross-channel Crime and Justice event in October.”

    ‘Free Rein‘ and ‘The Kangaroo Gang: Thieves by Appointment‘ are the latest in a slate of new commissions for BBC Worldwide Channels this year. These follow the announcement of Some Say Love, the comedy pilot currently in production by Freehand, and Andy‘s Wild Adventures, a co-commission with the BBC for the international preschool brand, CBeebies.