ITV

Tag: Disney

  • Empanelment with DAVP of 22 TV channels expires

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) has said that empanelment of certain television channels for the period 2012-15 has expired as they failed to apply for fresh empanelment before the last date, 15 December.

    These include the Lok Sabha TV, two channels of Disney, Hungama TV, Music India, and 17 regional channels.

    It has said that regional channels may apply for the empanelment from the first to the seventh day of every month through the online form.

    Meanwhile, DAVP has extended by three months up to 31 March 2013 the empanelment of FM radio channels.

    This follows the failure of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to announce the guidelines for empanelment and rate of FM Radio channels.

    The current deadline was to expire on 31 December and it is understood that the Ministry is trying to iron out some thorny issues so that it can also clear the path for ascending e-auction of the FM Radio Phase III.

  • Disney acquires Lucasfilm Company

    Disney acquires Lucasfilm Company

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has announced an outlay of $4.05 billion for the purchase of the Lucasfilm Company, founded by director George Lucas and the creator of franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
    Disney struck an agreement with Lucas, owner of 100 per cent of Lucasfilm, for the purchase of the company to be paid half in cash and the remainder with approximately 40 million Disney shares.
    "It‘s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers," the 68-year-old Lucas has been reported to have said. "I‘ve always believed that ‘Star Wars‘ could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime," he added.
    Kathleen Kennedy, until now co-president of Lucasfilm, will function as the president of the firm within the Disney group.
    "I‘m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, ‘Star Wars‘ will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come," Lucas hoped.
    Disney President and CEO Robert A. Iger confirmed that the studio plans a new Star Wars trilogy that will begin in 2015 with Star Wars: Episode 7 and will continue with Episode 8 and Episode 9 as well.
    The revered production house also revealed that it plans to create a new chapter in the famous galactic saga, Star Wars: Episode 7 that would release in 2015.
    With the acquisition of Lucasfilm, Disney has added entities like television sports channel ESPN, ABC, the Pixar animation studio and Marvel Comics and other companies in its group.

  • Disney acquires South Korean game developer Studio Ex

    Disney acquires South Korean game developer Studio Ex

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has acquired South Korean game developer Studio Ex, according to a report in the Hollywood Reporter. Studio Ex is a start-up whose main focus is multiplayer, free-to-play online and mobile games which is a lucrative sector in Korea since it has one of the highest mobile phone gaming and social media penetration in the world.

    Studio Ex has yet to actually launch any game which has led to speculation that the Disney acquisition is likely a talent grab considering David Moon was director of game services at NHN.
    "Through a stock purchase agreement, Studio Ex is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company reporting into Disney Interactive," Disney said in a statement confirming the buy.

  • Netflix pips Starz to acquire movie rights from Disney

    Netflix pips Starz to acquire movie rights from Disney

    MUMBAI: Leading internet subscription service provider Netflix has signed a multi-year premium pay TV window agreement with The Walt Disney Studios in the United States.

    The new multi-year licensing agreement will make Netflix the exclusive US subscription television service for first-run live-action and animated feature films from The Walt Disney Studios.

    The three-year agreement takes effect in 2016 when premium movie service provider Starz‘s deal with Disney-ABC Domestic Television ends in 2015. Starz had signed a new, exclusive long-term licensing agreement for theatrical releases from The Walt Disney Studios.

    Beginning with its 2016 theatrically released feature films, new Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Disney nature titles will be made available for Netflix members to watch instantly in the pay TV window on multiple platforms, including television, tablets, computers and mobile phones.

    Also included in the agreement are high-profile Disney direct-to-video new releases, which will be made available on Netflix starting in 2013.

    Separately, Disney and Netflix have reached agreement on a multi-year catalog deal that brings to US Netflix members Disney movies such as "Dumbo," "Pocahontas" and "Alice in Wonderland."

    "Disney and Netflix have shared a long and mutually beneficial relationship and this deal will bring to our subscribers, in the first pay TV window, some of the highest-quality, most imaginative family films being made today," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.

    "It‘s a bold leap forward for Internet television and we are incredibly pleased and proud this iconic family brand is teaming with Netflix to make it happen."

    "With this cutting-edge agreement, we are thrilled to take our highly valued relationship with Netflix to the next level by adding Disney‘s premier films to their programming line-up," said Disney-ABC Domestic Television President Janice Marinelli.

    "Netflix continues to meet the demands of its subscribers in today‘s rapidly evolving digital landscape, and we are delighted that they will have much earlier access to our top-quality and entertaining slate," she continued.

  • bindass bets on social media for marketing ‘Video Wars’ show

    MUMBAI: As the launch for its first daily format show Video Wars draws closer, Disney’s youth entertainment channel bindass is going full throttle to create a buzz around the show. This time though, the channel is leaning heavier on the social media and on ground engagement initiatives rather than the tried and tested ATL routes of television, print, radio and outdoor.

    Video Wars is a reality show that involves five contestants cataloguing a day in their life in the form of a video diary, which will then be aired for the viewers to see. Based on the content shot by the contestant, the viewers get to vote for their favourite and the least popular contestant will be eliminated at the end of the week. A fresh contestant will take his place the next week.

    Says Disney UTV executive director youth channels media networks Nikhil Gandhi, “Video Wars is a show that is in line with our ‘Rest Less. Do More.’ positioning as it empowers the youth with a camera and go out there and get famous. Since the show deals primarily with user generated content (UGC), we decided to focus on media like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The aim is to engage with the youth wherever they are. We all know how active the youth are on social media.”

    bindass will launch the Facebook Stamp Campaign from 19 November along with a YouTube in search video campaign which will go live in the second week of the show.

    Apart from the digital space, bindass is targeting on ground engagement opportunities to interact with the youth. “The idea is to take the youth play beyond television. We want to be where the youth of today is – from college campus to concerts to cafeterias,” says Gandhi.

    Recently, the channel collaborated with the Enrique concert in Delhi and Pune where people wearing video ‘heads’ were deployed in order to create visibility for Video Wars. During the NH7 Weekender, bindass set up Video Wars booths where ‘Weekenders’ could shoot themselves and audition to appear on the show.

  • Disney to discontinue online movie service

    Disney to discontinue online movie service

    MUMBAI: Disney will discontinue its movie streaming website by the end of this year after failing to generate revenues and audiences.

    The service allowed users to rent or purchase movies on its site and watch those via streaming.

    “The digital environment is rapidly evolving and Disney Movies Online does not have the flexibility that many users today demand. We made a business decision to close the service until we are able to provide the greatest value and experience to our customers,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.

    As part of this change, purchases, upgrades, and Magic Code entries can no longer be made on the Disney Movies Online website. One can continue to stream his existing movies until 31 December, the company said.

    However, one can still enter Magic Codes on DisneyMovieRewards.com, and Disney Movies Rewards services will not be interrupted. Users can also continue to use their Disney member name and password to access other Disney websites.

    In addition, if one has purchased a Disney Combo pack with Digital Copy, his Digital Copy can still be transferred and watched from either iTunes or Windows Media Player.

    Disney is planning to launch its replacement service, Disney Movies Anywhere, but the date of its launch is not known.

  • DisneyUTV Digital to distribute EA mobile games in India

    DisneyUTV Digital to distribute EA mobile games in India

    MUMBAI: DisneyUTV Digital, the digital arm of DisneyUTV, has partnered EA Mobile, the worldwide publisher for mobile games, to distribute their mobile games in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The games will be distributed by UTV Indiagames exclusively across carrier networks and local OEMs.

    DisneyUTV signed the distribution deal after EA games‘ two-year contract with Nazara Technologies expired this July.
    DisneyUTV will now provide gamers in India access to legacy titles from the EA Mobile portfolio including Need for Speed, Fifa ‘11, Monopoly, Bejeweled, Zuma, Tetris, EA Cricket ‘11, Bookworm and more. Gamers will also be able to enjoy the latest game releases from EA Mobile on the same day as they release internationally.

    Games ranging from across genres like sports, racing, puzzles, word games, arcade and action will be available in a price range of Rs 50 to Rs 99.

    “With feature phones and smartphones growing their presence in the Indian mobile market, the impetus to provide quality content on these platforms only gets bigger. With this relationship, we will increase the reach of EA’s popular games for the end users in the country and upsurge quality content in mobile entertainment. With strategic deals like these, we aim to further expand the gaming market across all possible mobile platforms available,” said DisneyUTV Digital MD Vishal Gondal.

    EA Mobile Asia Pacific GM Franck Villet said, “This partnership with DisneyUTV represents an exciting opportunity for EA to bring our best content to an even broader audience in a growing mobile gaming market.”

  • Disney acquires Star Wars film Lucasfilm for $4 bn

    Disney acquires Star Wars film Lucasfilm for $4 bn

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire American film production company Lucasfilm, best known for Star Wars franchise, in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100 per cent owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.
    Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on 26 October, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing.
    The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.
    Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production.

    Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.
    “Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said The Walt Disney Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney‘s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”
    He also told analysts that the plan is to release a new movie in the series every two to three years thereafter.
    Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney‘s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximise the value of this global franchise. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
    The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.
    Driven by a talented creative team, Lucasfilm‘s legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks.
    Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world‘s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney‘s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.
    “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder George Lucas. “It‘s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I‘ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I‘m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney‘s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”
    The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney‘s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company‘s ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value.

  • Kareena Kapoor-starrer Heroine gets eight brand associations

    MUMBAI: Kareena Kapoor, who plays a stellar role in UTV Motion Pictures‘ Heroine has become favourite of different brands. In other words, it can also be said that she leads the brand race.

    After The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, women-centric films have been garnering all the right attention, not just for being glamorous, but with great content and author-backed role, they are also collecting a moolah at the box-office.

    But Kapoor has gone ahead and has managed to get maximum brands for her upcoming film Heroine. Trade pundits say she is ‘leading and coming at par with her male colleagues in the industry‘. Her much-awaited film has managed to get over eight brands on board. This is by far the most for any heroine-oriented film. Besides Lakme, Head and Shoulders and Monarch Universal for whom Kapoor already endorses, other brands like Cera, Rupa, Jealous 21 and the likes have also associated with the film for in-film integration and various media associations.

    While Lakme is launching Heroine-branded makeup under the Absolute range endorsed by Kapoor, apparel brand Jealous21 will soon be launching a special clothing line inspired by the clothes worn by her in the film. Industry sources estimate at least Rs 15-20 crores of brand spends to be blocked for promotions around Heroine.

    “My director Madhur Bhandarkar and producer UTV‘s vision is finally ready and I am glad I could live through Mahi the character. It‘s been an exhilarating experience and Madhur has pushed the envelope to bring out a strong performance from me. Heroine is a women oriented film and I am happy that brands today are open to associate with such films which was never the case before. The trend is changing and I‘m glad to have instigated it,” said Kareena Kapoor.

    Heroine has an author-backed role for Kareena and Madhur‘s zeal to make it the way he had envisioned has prompted many brands to see an opportunity worth associating. Even though it‘s a heroine led film, because of its sheer content and Kareena‘s strong brand recall, we have successfully managed to have key brands on board. The product placement is integrated with the film‘s storyline in a manner that is inherent to the narrative and accelerates the story further.” Observed Disney UTV executive director – marketing, studios, Shikha Kapur.

    It may be interesting to learn that the Vidya Balan-starrers Kahaani, The Dirty Picture and No One Killed Jessica had no brands associated with them, while the Priyanka Chopra-starrer Fashion had brands like Sunsilk, Lenovo, Reebok and Kimaya associated with it and the Sonam Kapoor-starrer Aisha had Loreal, Christian Dior Couture and DLF Emporio associated with it.

  • Jet Airways to fly on Disney’s icon brands

    MUMBAI: Disney Channel India and Jet Airways Monday unveiled a Disney-themed aircraft wrapped with images of Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto at Mumbai International Airport marking the culmination of the Jet Set Go on-air campaign.

    The Boeing 737-800 from the fleet of Jet Airways, India’s premiere international airline, will be in the air beginning 10 July.

    The Disney Channel’s ‘Jet Set Go’ campaign generated a six million entries that were submitted from all over India, with 37 families being awarded the prize of an all-expense paid trip to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort where they will be able to meet all of their favourite characters.

    “At the heart of Disney DNA is our passion for telling the world’s best stories and providing unique experiences for kids and families. Jet Set Go is one such initiative which has seen a phenomenal response from all corners of the country,” said Disney UTV Executive Director – Disney Kids Network Vijay Subramaniam.

    “We‘re delighted to welcome the 37 winning families to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and help make their dreams come true with magical Disney experiences. They‘ll be joining the growing number of Guests who visit from India. In the 2011 fiscal year, the Resort experienced an 8 per cent increase in Guests from India over the previous year, with over 70 per cent indicating the intention to revisit in the future,” said Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Director, Marketing Wendy Chu.

    “Jet Airways is delighted to collaborate with Disney through this unique opportunity to deliver a creative and memorable experience to kids and their families. Exterior aircraft branding creates a bold visual impact for all airport guests and personnel. We are happy to see the results and will look for more opportunities to create unique experiences for JetKids in the future,” said Jet Airway VP Marketing Manish Dureja.