ITV

Tag: Canada

  • Zoom ropes in former Channel [V] hand Suresh Bala as COO

    Zoom ropes in former Channel [V] hand Suresh Bala as COO

    MUMBAI:The Times Group’s non-fiction entertainment and lifestyle channel Zoom has roped in a former Channel [V] programming professional Suresh Bala as its new chief operating officer.

    With Suresh Bala coming in, the outgoing COO Upen Roop Rai has moved on to head Integrated Marketing Solutions Group (IMSG) and Indiatimes as the director, informs an official release.
    Bala will report to Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd’s executive president Arun Arora. He is expected to take over his responsibilities within a week or two.

    Prior to this, for the past three years, Bala was in Canada, and before that he was in the programming function of Channel [V].

    Interestingly, Rai came from Times Group’s internet division where he was the marketing head. His last day as Zoom COO would be 1 June.

    While, overseeing Zoom, Rai continued to handle Indiatimes.com in Delhi. He was completely responsible for revenue, marketing and sales. Integrated Marketing Solutions is also something he was handling.

    Under Rai’s guidance, Zoom has added various franchisees to mark its positioning of an Indian lifestyle channel. Commenting on his move to IMSG and Indiatimes, Rai said, “The experience at Zoom has been a great one. I was sent here for a year and it has been a great year. I am already looking forward to my focus responsibilities at IMSG and Indiatimes.”

  • America crowns Taylor Hicks its 5th ‘Idol’; viewership hits 35.4 million

    America crowns Taylor Hicks its 5th ‘Idol’; viewership hits 35.4 million

    MUMBAI: Twenty-nine-year old Taylor Hicks from Alabama beat LA gal Katharine McPhee to be crowned the American Idol in the finale of the fifth season. A whopping 63.4 million votes were cast and America made its choice. According to host Ryan Seacrest, Hicks took the majority of the fan votes, though he did not reveal how close McPhee came.

    Taylor Hicks — The winner takes it all!

    Hicks now joins the likes of Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino, who have been previous season winners. However, the result of fifth season of American Idol doesn’t come as a surprise as Hicks had wooed TV audiences with his raw singing style and boisterous personality.

    Hicks foisted the ubiquitous catchphrase “Soul Patrol!” on an unsuspecting audience and turned it into a national movement. What Hicks has won is an RCA recording contract and his first single will be Do I Make You Proud.

    Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks on judgement day
    As for the network that airs the show in the US – Fox, the two weekly Idol episodes remain the top-rated shows in the US, raking in tens of millions of dollars for the network.

    The American Idol seasons have been a ratings goldmine for Fox. The show has continued to rate high even in its fifth season and has given the network the biggest hit in prime time, propelling the broadcaster to first place this season in the ratings race for viewers aged 18 to 49.

    ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ FINALE DRAWS 35.4 MN VIEWERS

    It was not only Taylor Hicks that emerged winner on American Idol’s fifth season finale. Fox, too emerged as a major winner in terms of the ratings it clocked. According to Nielsen Media Research, the finale of Fox’s two-hour American Idol special was a big hit among viewers, drawing an audience of 35.4 million people.

    Idol opened at 8 pm with 27.4 million viewers, climbing steadily to a peak of 42.9 million in its final half-hour as Hicks edged past Katharine McPhee to take the crown.

    This makes it the second most-watched Idol finale ever behind 2003’s competition, which was watched by 38.1 million viewers. Last year’s contest won by Carrie Underwood was seen by 30.3 million.

    In Canada, CTV said the American Idol season finale peaked at 5.2 million viewers when Hicks was announced as winner.

    The American Idol TV audience was only about two million viewers shy of the Oscars for being the most-watched television event of the year after the Super Bowl.

    What has also added to the popularity and interest levels in American Idol through the seasons is the incessant coverage by the print, internet and television media.

    Shows like Entertainment Tonight and Saturday Night Live give constant updates on every twist and turn on Idol. Dedicated websites and blogs have also kept the interest levels high. On the other hand, producers of the show claim that the success of season five came from the fact that they had a particularly good batch of talent.

    The finale of the fifth season had plenty of star power with the likes of Ben Stiller, Heather Locklear, Mary J. Blige and David Hasselhoff. What’s more, the Baywatch star got all teary eyed when Hicks was announced the winner. Prince too made a surprise appearance on the show and performed.

    After the winner was announced, runner-up McPhee was reportedly quoted as saying that she hadn’t expected to win and didn’t have any regrets.

    McPhee said she planned to take a week’s break before heading for the American Idol tour with Hicks and the other finalists.

  • NHK-Japan, Discovery-Canada tie up for HD programming

    NHK-Japan, Discovery-Canada tie up for HD programming

    MUMBAI: NHK-Japan and Discovery channel Canada team up to leverage their shared high-definition (HD) programming, production, and distribution.

    The agreement will see each broadcaster’s existing science magazine show – Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet and NHK’s Science Zero – mutually benefit from exchanging footage and segments.

    Discovery Channel Canada president and general manager Paul Lewis said: “As leaders in factual programming, Discovery Channel continues to make great strides in high-definition content and technology in Canada, and this alliance with NHK fits our strategy perfectly.

    “We have enjoyed a relationship with NHK in recent years and we’re excited to see this agreement solidify our relationship and take it to the next level as partners, enabling us to work together on projects that will continue to benefit Discovery, NHK and the audiences we serve.”

    Besides collaborating on content, NHK & Discovery will regularly discuss and explore opportunities to work together on other areas of mutual interest, including new technologies and distribution in all media platforms.

    NHK’s Multimedia Development Department director general Yoshinori Sekimoto said, “NHK and Discovery Channel Canada share a passion for science programming and HD broadcasting. Taking our already-successful relationship to a higher level opens the door to exciting possibilities in terms of co-production, broadcasting and media strategy.”

  • Nominations announced for Banff World Television Awards

    Nominations announced for Banff World Television Awards

    MUMBAI: With the largest number of entries submitted over the past five years, the Banff World Television Festival has announced its 2006 Banff World Television Award nominees.

    This year’s festival boasts 101 nominated programmes across 18 categories, from more than 1,000 entries submitted. The Banff World Television Festival takes place from 11to 14 June 2006 in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
    TThe program nominees represent 24 countries including Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US.

    The nominees, as well as the 18 “Best-of” category winners, are chosen by the Banff selection jury. The jury meets for several days prior the Festival to screen the 18 category winners and ultimately decide the Grand Prize winner for the best overall program of the 2006 Banff World Television Awards.

    Banff selection jury chairman Jerry Ezekiel says, “This year’s volume signals a resurgence for the Banff competition. Moreover, we believe this year’s programme makers have set a new standard for quality. The cream of this year’s crop is an outstanding line-up from major content-creators in television and related media.”

    The jury also decides the winners of the $25,000 NHK President’s Prize, for the best HDTV program, and two Special Jury Prizes, awarded to the producers of two programs chosen from a shortlist of nominees designated by the Selection Jury. A separate all-Canadian jury will select the winner of the Best Canadian Programme in this year’s competition.

    Winners will be presented the coveted “Rockie” statuette at the Global Television Banff World Television Awards show on 12 June. Prior to the awards show, the nominees will be featured in Best of Banff World Television Award Tours and in the Best of Interactive Television From Around the World panel.
    In the animation category the nominees are Charlie & Lola: I Am Not Sleepy And I Will Not Go To Bed, HBO’s Classical Baby, UTV’s Jane and the Dragon: Shall We Dance, PBS’ John and Michael and Film Australia’s The Safe House. Comedies

    The comedy show nominees are ABC’s hit Desperate Housewives: That’s Good, That’s Bad,, BBC and HBO’s Extras: Kate Winslet, Channel 4’s IT Crowd, CBC’s The Rick Mercer Report III and Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s We Can Be Heroes. The interactive television nominees are Interactive Television BBC’s How to Sleep Better, Comedy Network’s Odd Job Jack: Odd Job Jack, Worldwide Web’s ReGenesis II: Extended Reality Game, BBC’s Shakespeare : Shakespeare’s Stories and Teletoon’s Zimmer Twins.

    The mini series nominees are BBC’s Bleak House, France 2’s De Gaulle, The Laser Man, HBO’s Rome and BBC’s Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky. Competing for the best unscripted entertainment programme are The Apprentice: Home Shopping Channel, Dragons’ Den, Paradise Lost, Setting Sail To The New World: Departure and Young Black Farmers.

  • Revenue for Canada’s private TV stations up four per cent

    Revenue for Canada’s private TV stations up four per cent

    MUMBAI: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has released its annual report with statistical and financial data on conventional Canadian private television stations for 2001-2005.Overall, these stations remain profitable, and posted increased revenues and profits over this period.

    From 2004 to 2005, total revenue and profit before interest and taxes for private television stations rose by close to four per cent coming in at $2.2 billion and $242.2 million respectively in 2005. The ad revenues for these stations grew by nearly five per cent, totalling $1.5 billion, while local time sales decreased by 1.1 per cent to $362.9 million.

    Overall, broadcasters’ operating expenses increased by 4.3 per cent from 2004 to 2005, reaching $1.9 billion in 2005. Of that amount, $1.3 billion was invested in acquiring and producing programming, including $587 million for Canadian programmes. This figure includes the $138.5 million that broadcasters paid to independent producers in order to acquire programming.

    Private broadcasters’ spending on Canadian programmes included $86.6 million for drama, $310.2 million for news programs, $59.4 million for other information programs, $83.1 million for general interest programming, and $29.2 million for musical and variety shows.

    The report was produced using the financial summaries of private Canadian television undertakings. It also provides data from the CBC’s financial summaries. It is the first in a series of reports on broadcasting that the CRTC publishes every year in order to inform interested parties of the current financial situation of this industry in Canada.

  • Tim Bowen is Sony BMG Music Entertainment COO

    Tim Bowen is Sony BMG Music Entertainment COO

    MUMBAI: Tim Bowen has been named chief operating officer of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. The announcement was made by the company’s CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz. Bowen will be based in New York and will report to Schmidt-Holtz.

    Bowen will work closely with Schmidt-Holtz in overseeing all aspects of the global music company’s operations. This will include direct responsibility for Sony BMG’s international operations, as well as the company’s global digital business, strategic marketing, legacy,

    masterworks and sales enterprise divisions. Bowen will also direct the company’s expanding audio-visual and TV interests on a worldwide basis and oversee human resources.

    “Tim brings to this role a deep understanding of both the creative and
    business aspects of the music industry. He has extensive experience with both of the companies that came together to form Sony BMG, and the dedication, passion and vision that are necessary to lead the joint venture into the future. He is clearly the right choice for this key post, and it is a true pleasure to announce his appointment,” said Schmidt-Holtz.

    “I’m delighted to have been given this opportunity. With a dynamic roster of current artists, a catalogue that includes an incredible number of legendary recordings, and impressive capabilities in the areas of marketing, distribution and digital initiatives, we have everything we need to establish Sony BMG as the clear leader in the global marketplace. I look forward to continuing my close working relationship with Rolf, as well as with managing directors from around the world and the entire Sony BMG team, as we realise the full potential of the joint venture,” added Bowen.

    Most recently Bowen served as chairman, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, for Sony BMG Music Entertainment International, a post he had held since February of 2004. He joined BMG in 2002 when he was appointed COO, BMG Europe by Schmidt-Holtz and carried out a number of international assignments before he was appointed chairman, BMG UK and Ireland in 2003. In the role of chairman he handled the operations of BMG and Zomba in the UK and Ireland and SYCO, Sony’s TV production company with Simon Cowell.

    Prior to joining BMG, Bowen worked for Universal Music International as senior vice president of marketing and business affairs and following the merger of Polygram and Universal Music he became executive vice president of Universal Music International.