ITV

Tag: BVITV

  • CCTV renews deal for the Oscars

    CCTV renews deal for the Oscars

    MUMBAI: Disney’s TV distribution arm Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has announced a TV licensing agreement with China’s movie channel, CCTV-6.

    This agreement builds on the company’s existing relationship with the broadcaster.

    In the first agreement, CCTV-6 has renewed its multi-year licensing agreement with BVITV-AP to broadcast live The 79th Annual Academy Awards including the 30 minute Red Carpet pre-Show on its movie channel. Since 2003, CCTV-6 has been the exclusive broadcaster in China for the live telecast of The Annual Academy Awards® and pre-Show. In India the Oscars will air on Star Movies on 26 February 2007.

    BVITV-AP senior VP, MD Steve Macallister says, “CCTV-6 has been a key business partner for many years and so we are delighted to be continuing our relationship with this new arrangement. As the leading dedicated movie channel in China, it’s only fitting that CCTV-6’s viewers continue to enjoy exclusive and premier access to the biggest movie event of the year, the Oscars.”

    Disney executive VP, MD for China and Hong Kong Stanley Cheung says, “China is a key strategic priority for the company and with these TV licensing agreements we are delivering our strategy to bring great family entertainment to China”.

    Later this year, the movie High School Musical will air on CCTV-6, in a separate multiple movie package deal concluded with BVITV-AP.

    The High School Musical US premiere in January 2006 broke Disney Channel ratings records, and, for its 16 airings, has now been seen by over 40 million unduplicated total viewers. The movie has already reached over 100 million total viewers on a global basis and delivered best-ever ratings for a Disney Channel Original Movie on Disney Channels in New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia and the UK.

    In the Asia Pacific region High School Musical has been licensed to six broadcasters including Seven Australia, The Movie Network Australia, TVNZ New Zealand, 8TV Malaysia, Fiji TV Fiji, and TVB Pearl Hong Kong. The made-for-TV movie made its international terrestrial TV debut in July 2006 in primetime on Seven Network Australia as the #1 movie in 2006 for Tweens 10-15 delivering a 17.9/67% rating/share and the #2 movie on Seven Network this year with a 9.5/40 per cent rating/share for the Under 55s. It premiered on TV2 New Zealand on 19th August, and was the number one programme of the night among People 5+.

  • Disney’s BVITV-AP brings ‘Toon Disney’ block to Vietnam

    Disney’s BVITV-AP brings ‘Toon Disney’ block to Vietnam

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, has entered into an agreement with Q.net Co. Ltd., the Vietnamese distribution agent, for a Disney animated series package to launch on Ho Chi Minh Television (HTV), which claims to be the country’s second largest broadcaster.

    Starting this month, the 30-minute “Toon Disney” branded block will air on HTV7 daily from Monday through Sunday from 6am to 6:30am.

    For the first time on Vietnamese terrestrial television, HTV7’s young viewers will be able to enjoy a wide range of animated series from Disney including Disney’s Mickey Mouseworks, Adventures of Mickey & Donald, Disney/Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and Disney’s Timon & Pumbaa, informs an official release.

    Commenting on the announcement, BVITV-AP senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister said, “We are delighted to be launching Toon Disney on HTV7 and bringing to Vietnam some of Disney’s most celebrated titles. Around the world the Disney brand represents imagination, fun and positive values, so we are confident that young Vietnamese viewers will be excited by these animated series.”

    HTV’s director general, Huynh Van Nam highlighted, “Ho Chi Minh Television was honoured to be the very first Vietnamese broadcaster to run the two channels, Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney on our pay-tv package HTVC since May 2005. And now, once again we are proud to be the first broadcaster to launch Disney’s top animated series on our free TV channel – HTV7. We look forward to having Mickey Mouse and Donald join our local children in a new and comfortable playground.”

    In 2006, Disney’s BVITV-AP announced several television licensing deals in Vietnam which include Desperate Housewives, Lost, Alias, Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer as well as the first live broadcast of the 78th Annual Academy Awards on HTV7. In November 2005, one of the first Jetix branded animation blocks in Asia Pacific launched on Vietnam Television (VTV).

    The Walt Disney Company continues to expand its presence in Vietnam, a strategic market for the Company. In April 2006, Buena Vista International, Inc., The Walt Disney Studios’ international theatrical distribution unit, announced its entry to the Vietnam market through a distribution deal with MegaStar Joint Venture Company Limited (“MegaStar”). And in May 2006, Disney Consumer Products and East Media Holdings Inc. (EMHI), via its subsidiary EMHI Licensing Inc., announced a master licensing agreement for consumer products for Indochina, including Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

     

  • Disney’s Ugly Betty sits pretty as No.1 show in NZ

    Disney’s Ugly Betty sits pretty as No.1 show in NZ

    MUMBAI: The 2007 Golden Globes is an affirmation of the phenomenal popularity of Walt Disney Company’s Ugly Betty. Riding high on all the adulation, the series has just got a fillip as it premiered in New Zealand. The series, aired on TVNZ’s TV2 on 16 January at 8:30 pm, was the highest rated show of the night.

    The show was telecast in New Zealand a day after its awards romp at the Globes. Attracting an average audience of 613,600 viewers, the series captured a remarkable 18.58 per cent rating share in age group 18-39. Similar to its performance in the US, it was the nation’s female viewership that drove a massive 70 per cent share of its viewership.

    “We couldn’t be more pleased with Ugly Betty’s performance in New Zealand,” commented BVITV’s senior vice president and management director in Asia Pacific Steve Macallister. “We are confident that this endearing and universal fish-out-of-water tale will continue to warm the hearts of viewers as it launches across the region.”

    l In Asia Pacific, Ugly Betty has already been licensed by The Walt Disney Company’s Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) to ten broadcasters. TVNZ was the first to premiere in the region. The next launch dates across the region include Korea (KBS) on 3 Feb, Singapore (MediaCorp TV) on 5 Feb, Malaysia (8TV) on 6 Feb and Hong Kong (TVB Pearl) on 15 March. Australia (Seven Network), pan-regional (STAR World), India (STAR India), Korea (CJ Media Channel CGV) and Fiji (Fiji TV) have also licensed the series with air dates not yet announced.

    On 15 January Ugly Betty received a Golden Globe for Best Television Comedy with series star America Ferrera taking home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical.

    Ugly Betty (Touchstone Television) is the number one new comedy of the 2006-07 television season with both total viewers and adults 18-49 in the US. Ugly Betty has greatly improved the time period for ABC, nearly doubling its year-ago delivery in both total viewers and adults 18-49. The series was launched in the UK on Friday 5 January with the highest premiere ratings for a US comedy on Channel 4 in 10 years.

    The series is licensed by Disney’s Buena Vista international Television (BVITV).

  • Disney licenses ‘Ugly Betty’ to Spanish broadcaster Cuatro

    Disney licenses ‘Ugly Betty’ to Spanish broadcaster Cuatro

    MUMBAI: Disney’s international TV distribution arm, Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), has announced that Spanish free TV broadcaster Cuatro will launch the Golden Globe -winning show Ugly Betty to its viewers later this year.

    Yesterday the show won a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. America Ferrera (who plays Betty Suarez) also received a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

    The show was adapted in India by Sony as Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. Ugly Betty follows Betty Suarez, a seemingly plain, but intelligent and hard-working, secretary at fashion magazine Mode. Few people get to know her because in the world of fashion, Betty is the oversized square peg in the petite round hole. When publishing mogul Bradford Meade hands the reigns of his fashion magazine over to his son Daniel (Eric Mabius), he hires Betty as his son’s new assistant, because she’s the only woman in NYC who Daniel won’t sleep with. Neither of them knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but together they’re a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail.

    Ugly Betty is based on Yo Soy Betty La Fea the Colombian telenovela. Cuatro has also picked up the other Touchstone Television series Day Break and Six Degrees. Taye Diggs stars in the thriller Day Break that takes a bad day and multiplies it by infinity. Detective Brett Hopper (Diggs) is having a hellacious day; the kind of day where nothing goes his way and he just can’t wait to put it behind him… only he can’t, because he’s living the same day over and over again. Only when Hopper figures out why his life is broken and how to fix it will he awaken to a brand new day.

    Six Degrees created by J.J Abrams Lost, is an ensemble drama which follows the notion that everybody is connected to one another by a chain of six people, which means that nobody is a stranger for long. Six very different New Yorkers go about their lives not realising the impact they’re having on each other – yet. A mysterious web of coincidences will gradually draw them closer, changing the course of their lives forever.

  • BVITV inks deal with Rogers Cable for on-demand Disney movies in Canada

    BVITV inks deal with Rogers Cable for on-demand Disney movies in Canada

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution division of The Walt Disney Company, has concluded a multi-year video on demand movie rental agreement with Rogers Cable in Canada. For the first time, Rogers Personal TV customers with a digital box will be able to watch Disney live action and animated movies, on Rogers On Demand through their digital set top boxes in Ontario. This is The Walt Disney Company’s first video on demand agreement in Canada.

    With this agreement, Rogers customers will be able to purchase on demand a selection of new release and library features from The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio. Titles include the Disney/Pixar animated comedy-adventure Cars which launches on 22nd December on the service, and the global blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest which will launch in January. New Disney movies will constantly be added as they are available, and a new selection of library titles will be added on a continual basis, informs an official release.

    The agreement was concluded by BVITV’s senior vice president and managing director Canada Orest Olijnyk and Rogers Cable vice-president and general manager David Purdy.

    Olijnyk commented, “We’re delighted to conclude our first VOD agreement in Canada, and to be working with Rogers to bring this wide selection of hit movie content to their customers in flexible, and importantly legitimate and secure, new ways.”

  • BVITV inks mobile content deal with Philippines’ ABS-CBN Interactive

    BVITV inks mobile content deal with Philippines’ ABS-CBN Interactive

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has concluded its first live action series mobile content agreement with ABS-CBN Interactive (ABSi), a division of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company in the Philippines. 

    This agreement is in line with Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution to deliver it anytime, anywhere, according to an official statement.

    For the first time in the Philippines, ABS-CBN Interactive’s mobile customers will be able to enjoy mobile video content from BVITV’s hit series, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, including second season sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes and recaps video clips, plus SMS infotext, wallpaper and WAP sites – to tie in with the television broadcast. 

    Seasons two of Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy are currently airing on Studio 23, one of ABS-CBN’s television networks, which is currently celebrating its 10 anniversary on-air.

    “We are thrilled to be the first U.S. studio to offer mobile content and clips of live action series content on the recently launched 3G platforms in the Philippines,” says BVITV-AP senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister. “We look forward to working with ABS-CBN Interactive and clients around the region to deliver our programming in innovative and interactive ways to consumers – one of the key priorities at BVITV – enhancing the entertainment experience for fans of our series’.”

    ”This exciting partnership with BVITV-AP will create a complete viewing experience for Studio 23 audiences, extending their affinity with the shows and allowing them to bring it with them anywhere they go, through their mobile phones,” said ABS-CBN Interactive MD Paolo Pineda.

  • BVITV signs TV licensing deals with Russian broadcasters, AXN Japan

    BVITV signs TV licensing deals with Russian broadcasters, AXN Japan

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution division of The Walt Disney Company, has announced new TV licensing agreements with broadcasters across Russia, with St Petersburg TV, NTV, Ren TV and TV3 having licensed a wide range for programming for their viewers.

    In another development, BVITV and AXN Japan have reached a licensing agreement for broadcasting The Amazing Race, distributed by BVITV. With the signing of this agreement, viewers can enjoy Seasons 4 and 5 of the hit reality series on AXN. Scheduled to air in the first half of 2007, The Amazing Race will be available to viewers in Japan for the first time.

    St Petersburg TV, one of Russia’s newest channels, has licensed a selection of feature films and live action series from BVITV. This is the channel’s first ever deal with a major US Studio. In a separate agreement introduced by BVITV, the channel has also licensed a selection of Jetix Europe content.

    TV3 Russia, one of the country’s largest independent broadcasters has licensed a selection of features and live action series from BVITV.
    One of Russia’s largest and most popular free TV channels, NTV, has also licensed a selection of feature films and series from BVITV’s portfolio. This is the first free TV agreement between NTV and BVITV.

    Free TV channel Ren TV has also licensed a selection of movies and live action series. The channel will also launch a selection of Jetix Europe programming to its viewers, says an official release.

    Co-created by Bertram van Munster (Profiles from the Front Line) and with Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI, Armageddon) as one of the executive producers, The Amazing Race has won four consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding reality program. Twelve teams of two people with relationships such as spouses, best friends or parent and child are filmed around the clock in a race to various worldwide destinations to be the first team to the finish line.

    At every destination, each team will have to compete in a series of challenges — some mental and some physical — and only when the tasks have been completed will they learn their next destination. Teams who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning a large cash prize, the release adds.

  • BVITV inks agreements with Miravista, TF1 Vision & CGV Choice at Mipcom

    BVITV inks agreements with Miravista, TF1 Vision & CGV Choice at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has secured the international TV distribution rights for Miravista, The Walt Disney Company- owned label for Buena Vista International Latin America’s local theatrical co-productions. BVITV will offer titles from the Miravista portfolio to international TV buyers for the first time at Mipcom.

    As announced by Buena Vista Worldwide Television president Laurie Younger and The Walt Disney Company Latin America president and Walt Disney Television Latin America general manager Diego Lerner.

    Titles include the forthcoming Only God Knows which recently had its North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and will launch across the US in 2007. Other titles include Ladies Night and Romeo and Juliet Get Married.

    BVITV has also signed an agreement with TF1 Vision, such that movie releases and blockbusters from BVITV’s portfolio will be available on demand on the TF1 Vision website. This agreement is in line with The Walt Disney Company’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution, informs an official release.

    With this broadband VOD rental agreement, almost 100 titles are available on the TF1 VOD website. Titles will include recent releases such as Cinderella Man, Flightplan, Derailed and Dark Water, and box office hits such as Pretty Woman, Dead Poets Society, Face Off and Pearl Harbor. Brand new titles can be downloaded for a fixed price of 4,99 euros each (all taxes included) and library movies can be rented for 1,99 euros each (all taxes included).

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis said, “We are pleased to be working once more with TF1 to bring content from our portfolio to consumers in France in new flexible ways, as and when they want to watch it.”

    In addition, Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, has also concluded a multi-year agreement with Korean pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VOD) operator CGV Choice, a subsidiary of CJ Media, for current and library features from BVITV-AP’s features portfolio.
    Under this licensing agreement, subscribers to CGV Choice are able to enjoy a selection of Hollywood blockbusters from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films. 
    Titles include Disney’s second highest grossing film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl, Flightplan, National Treasure and Casanova.

    BVITV-AP’s senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister said, “This is another groundbreaking new media deal for BVITV in Korea and reflects our commitment to finding new and innovative ways to deliver our quality content whenever consumers want it.”

  • Disney’s High School Musical to premiere on Disney channels across Europe

    Disney’s High School Musical to premiere on Disney channels across Europe

    MUMBAI: Disney channel original movie High School Musical is set to hit terrestrial television in 15 countries across Europe, including Italy, Germany, France and Russia.

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis said, “As High School Musical’s international fanbase grows ever-stronger on Disney Channel, we are delighted to also be working with key terrestrial TV clients in a wide range of markets to launch it to yet more new fans later this year and into 2007.”

    This will add new terrestrial TV sales for the made-for-TV musical made by Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company.

    The contemporary ‘break into song’ production has been licensed to the broadcasters RAI in Italy, ProSieben in Germany, ORF in Austria and M6 France, along with RTE in Ireland, ERT Greece, TRT Turkey and CYBC Cyprus. In Central and Eastern Europe, Channel One in Russia has also licensed it, as have TV2 Hungary, TV Media Planet Ukraine, TVR Romania, Pop TV Slovenia, and A1 Televizija in Macedonia. High School Musical has already been licensed to the BBC in the UK, for broadcast on BBC One later this year, and is expected to be licensed to many more key markets within the next month, informs an official release.

    It will premiere on other international Disney Channels throughout 2006, with its UK Disney Channel premiere set for September.

    The High School Musical US premiere in January broke Disney Channel ratings records, and for its 14 airings, has now been seen by over 40 million unduplicated total viewers. In June, the movie premiered on Disney Channels in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia and delivered the best-ever results for a Disney Channel Original Movie in all of these markets.

    High School Musical made its international terrestrial TV debut on 1 July in primetime on Seven Network Australia and was the timeslot winner against all major demos. It is the No. 1 movie in 2006 for tweens 10-15 delivering a 17.9/67 per cent rating/share and also the No. 2 movie on Seven Network this year with a 9.5/40 per cent rating/share for the Under 55s. It premiered on TV2 New Zealand on 19 August, and was the No. 1 programme of the night amongst People 5+, adds the release.

    In August, the movie received two Emmy Awards, an Imagen Award and three Teen Choice Awards. It has also won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming.

    In the US, the soundtrack is No. 1 of the year to date, and is now certified triple-Platinum, delivering six Gold-certified singles since its debut in January. In addition to being the year’s #1 album so far, it is also the #1 soundtrack and #1 Kids’ album of the year to-date. High School Musical is also currently Disney’s biggest TV-based DVD title in the US, adds the release.

    A sequel to High School Musical is in planning for 2007.

    In this musical comedy, popular high school basketball star Troy and shy, academically gifted newcomer Gabriella discover they share a secret passion for singing. When they sign up together to audition for the lead roles in the school musical, it threatens their school’s rigid social order and sends their peers into an uproar. In a desperate effort to maintain the status quo, the school cliques are soon hatching convoluted plots to separate the pair and keep them offstage. By defying expectations and taking a chance on their dreams, however, the couple inspires other students to go public with some surprising hidden talents of their own.

  • BVITV inks multiple deals at Los Angeles Screenings

    BVITV inks multiple deals at Los Angeles Screenings

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has concluded multiple deals at the Los Angeles screenings. The first one was inked between BVITV Japan and Jupiter Entertainment, which is the provider of the Movie Plus channel, for distribution of visual entertainment consisting mainly of live action and animated movies.

    The closure of this contract guarantees the provision of hit releases as Six Days, Seven Nights, Snake Eyes and The Crimson Tide. It also means that popular Disney animated productions like The Nightmare Before Christmas will be available for view over the Movie Plus channel.

    BVITV Japan has also inked a new agreement with Pay-Per-View Japan, Inc. for distribution of visual entertainment consisting mainly of cinema-release movies and TV series.

    With this deal, movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Cinderella Man and Flight Plan will be availabe for Pay-Per-View Japan.

    It also means that the successful TV series Lost, along with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest will be available for view over the Pay-Per-View Japan platform.

    BVITV has also announced multi-genre deals with Pop TV to bring a range of new and returning series, features and TV movies to viewers across Slovenia.

    This was announced by BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis and Pro Plus general manager Marijan Jurenec.

    With these agreements, Pop TV has licensed the second series of Lost and Desperate Housewives as well as Grey’s Anatomy, the drama Criminal Minds and the family comedy According to Jim.

    Pop TV has also picked up the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical. A contemporary “break into song” production, the comedic movie tells the story of two teens who must learn to believe in themselves despite the polarization of high school cliques. The US premiere of High School Musical delivered the highest ever household ratings for Disney Channel original programming.

    Pop TV’s selected first run features include M Night Shyamalan’s movies Signs and The Village. Other features include the classic movies Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere and Con Air.

    In a separate agreement introduced by BVITV, Pop TV has licensed a selection of action-packed Jetix Europe programming. Younger viewers will be able to enjoy a selection of popular series including W.I.T.C.H. and Power Rangers: Dino Thunder.

    Toumazis said, “Following the continued success of our programming on Pop TV, including Lost and Desperate Housewives, we are delighted to be working with the channel to bring this broad selection of new, schedule-driving entertainment to its viewers.”