ITV

Tag: DTH

  • Technicolor announces 4K Set Top Box deal with Tata Sky

    Technicolor announces 4K Set Top Box deal with Tata Sky

    Paris (France) May 14, 2014 – Technicolor (Euronext Paris: TCH; OTCQX: TCLRY) announces an agreement with Tata Sky, India’s leading direct to home (DTH) service provider and HD market leader, to provide 4K Set Top Boxes in volume early 2015. The Technicolor product is the first 4K Set Top Box to be shipped in volume and underscores Technicolor’s leadership in delivering content with the highest image quality.

     

    This agreement is the result of a long, strategic relationship with Tata Sky dating back to 2005, and a Technicolor 4K roadmap of solid technical innovation including 4K trials that have gone on around the globe. Technicolor is gearing up to deliver the most immersive 4K experience on the market. Technicolor is building on its compression and color science to deliver an augmented content experience capable of delivering Hollywood-grade picture quality to viewers.

     

    “Technicolor once again leads the market in landing the first high-volume deal to deliver 4K Set Top Boxes to consumers. This deal further solidifies our leadership in the 4K marketplace,” said Michel Rahier, President Connected Home. “With the promise of an unparalleled immersive viewing experience and the predicted rapid growth of the 4K market, this agreement is a valuable strategic business opportunity for Technicolor and our long term partner, Tata Sky.”

     

    “4K is an important milestone in Tata Sky’s product portfolio and we are confident of the timing and quality of delivery because of our partnership with Technicolor” said Harit Nagpal, CEO Tata-Sky.

  • Election result fever grips Tata Sky

    Election result fever grips Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: Elections 2014 has gripped not only the News channels, but also the direct to home (DTH) players. One such is Tata Sky that has in yet another customer friendly initiative announced that it will air all News channels to its subscribers free of cost with immediate effect, for next seven days.

     

    The offer  also  includes news channels available on Tata Sky’s  Everywhere TV  service  which  will  allow viewing on  smart phones and tablets  as well.

     

    The move will give Tata Sky subscribers an upper hand on the ‘breaking news’ during the week of the election results.

     

    A bouquet of 13 English News channels, 18 Hindi News channels and 38 regional News channels will be offered free this week, irrespective of the pack that the subscriber has opted for. Regional language News channels include Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

  • TDSAT adjourns DTH licence fee case to 22 May

    TDSAT adjourns DTH licence fee case to 22 May

    NEW DELHI: The petition by private direct-to-home (DTH) operators challenging the notice of the government for clearing arrears of licence fees was adjourned by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to 22 May.
     

    The DTH operators were given time by chairman Aftab Alam and Kuldeep Singh to file their rejoinders following the reply by the government.

     

    TDSAT also noted that the earlier assurance by the government that it will not pressurise the operators in this regard till the case is taken up for hearing will continue.

      
    Even as the petitioners have alleged that the demand by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is contempt of court as the matter in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court, I&B secretary Bimal Julka had earlier told indiantelevision.com that the apex court had not issued any stay order.

     
    However, conscious that the TDSAT or the Supreme Court may be moved in the matter, a caveat had been filed by the Ministry in this regard.

     
    The Ministry had recently sent a notice to the six private DTH operators with regard to licence fee dues amounting to Rs 2,066 crore. The private operators are Tata Sky, Dish TV, Airtel Digital TV, Reliance Big TV, Sun Direct and Videocon d2h.

    According to the notice, the six private operators had been asked to pay the amount within 15 days.

     
    However, most of the operators contacted said they had cleared the dues of licence fee.

     
    The operators say the licence fee as demanded under the rules is on gross revenue (GR) whereas they have been asked to pay the fee on the basis of Actual Gross Revenue (AGR). The operators have said the fee should be only on subscription revenue and not on allied earnings such as dividend and interest income. 

     

    Meanwhile, Tata Sky late last month made a payment of Rs 383 crore to the Ministry to cover its license fee and other dues. A demand draft of the amount was submitted to the Ministry. Even as other operators had said that they would prefer to wait till the next hearing.

     
    This amount covers license fee for the year 2013-14 according to the rate specified for license as well as past dues, for which the Ministry had raised a demand note recently.

     

    TataSky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal had earlier said in a statement: “We hope that this will end the long standing dispute on the subject and pave the way forward for a constructive rationalisation of taxes with the support of our parent Ministry.” 

  • Tata Sky pays license fees of Rs 383 crore, Dish TV prefers to wait for court orders

    Tata Sky pays license fees of Rs 383 crore, Dish TV prefers to wait for court orders

    NEW DELHI: The direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky today made a payment of Rs 383 crore to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) to cover its license fee and other dues.

     
    A demand draft of the amount was submitted to the Ministry, even as a petition to this regard is pending in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in this regard.

     
    This amount covers license fee for the year 2013-14 according to the rate specified for license as well as past dues, for which the Ministry had raised a demand note recently.

     
    TataSky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal said in a statement: “We hope that this will end the long standing dispute on the subject and pave the way forward for a constructive rationalisation of taxes with the support of our parent Ministry.”

     
    However, Dish TV CEO R C Venkateish told indiantelevision that the TDSAT in its hearing on 4 April had taken an assurance from the government that it would not pressurise the DTH operators in this regard until the next date of hearing on 6 May.

     
    He said that the government had been asked by TDSAT to respond to the petitions by the operators by the next date of hearing.

     
    Although TDSAT is expected to give time to the operators to file their respective rejoinders to the government’s reply, DTH industry sources said the Tribunal may give a directive with regard to the payment.

  • Only 56.8 % of registered subscribers on private DTH active by Dec 2013: TRAI

    Only 56.8 % of registered subscribers on private DTH active by Dec 2013: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: Only 35.81 million subscribers of the six private direct-to-home (DTH) service providers are active out of a total 62.97 million registered subscribers, working out to around 56.87 per cent. The private DTH players include: Tata Sky, Dish TV, Airtel Digital TV, Reliance Big TV, Sun Direct and Videocon d2h.

     

    According to the Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for the quarter ending December 2013, a total of 782 private television channels and a total of 242 private FM radio channels were registered with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B).

     

    This is apart from the FM radio and TV channels operated by Prasar Bharati. Doordarshan has 37 channels including DD Bharati and DD National besides four allied channels like Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV, Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com. 

     

    AIR network has grown up to 299 stations and 461 transmitters (146 MW, 48 SW & 267 FM) which provide coverage to about 99.19 per cent of the country’s population spread over 91.87 per cent area of the country, these sources said.

     

    There are a total of 187 pay channels, as reported by the broadcasters/ distributors for which the rates have been taken on records at the QE December 2013.

     

    The report says the maximum number of TV channels (Pay, Free to Air and Local) being carried by any of the reported MSOs in digital form is 231, while that carried by any of the reported MSOs in the conventional analogue form is 100 channels.

     

    The report showed that of the total 238.71 million internet subscribers, broadband subscribers totaled 55.2 million and narrow band subscribers totaled 183.51 million.

     

    Of these, only 18.33 million were wired internet subscribers while 220.38 were wireless internet subscribers.  

     

    The study also shows that 92.13 per cent of the wireless internet subscribers were on mobile, while just 0.19 per cent were on fixed wireless mode. A total of 7.68 per cent of the internet subscribers were on wired mode.

     

    Meanwhile, the number of news and non-news channels has almost become equal with the government recently revealing it has so far given permission to a total of 786 television channels in the country.

     

    According to the statistics revealed by the I&B Ministry earlier this year, the number of news and current affairs channels is 389 while the number of non-news (general entertainment channels) is 397.

     

    Of the total, 664 TV channels including 369 news channels have been given permission to uplink and downlink from within the country.

     

    A total of 31 channels including 27 GECs are allowed to uplink from India but not downlink – thus they are aimed at other countries.

     

    A total of 91 channels uplinked from overseas are allowed to downlink into the country. These include 75 GECs.

  • Z ETC Punjabi to shut down

    Z ETC Punjabi to shut down

    MUMBAI: Come 30 April and Z ETC Punjabi subscribers will no longer be able to watch the channel. Reason-the broadcaster has decided to shut shop.

     

    The direct to home (DTH) operators have already started informing their subscribers about the channel shut down in the form of a scroll running on the TV screens. The message is loud and clear: The channel will be discontinued from the platform due to the broadcaster’s decision of shutting it down.

     

    Sources from the channel have confirmed to indiantelevision.com that Z ETC Punjabi will soon shut down and that its employees will be absorbed into Zee Entertainment’s other channels.

     

    Z ETC Punjabi is an entertainment channel from the Zee stable that has fiction shows, comedy, travel and living, movies and music.

     

    Formerly called ETC Punjabi, the network was taken up by Zee in 2002. Zee also runs another channel called Zee Punjabi that comes under Zee Media Corporation. The channel runs in the Terrestrial Entertainment Network (TEN) format like Zee Purvaiya, Zee Kalinga and Zee Marudhara. In this format, the channel has half of its content as news while the other half has entertainment shows.

  • Big Magic dons a fresh new look

    Big Magic dons a fresh new look

    MUMBAI: Big Magic gets an all new look, reinforcing its vibrant, fun and light entertainment persona and in keeping with its tag line ‘chatpata har pal’.

     

    The channel’s new packaging resonates with its programming mix which includes light relationship dramas, rom-coms, side-splitting sitcoms, blockbuster movies and now a unique historical comedy. With the new look going on air from the morning of 28 April viewers can look forward to a far more enriching television viewing experience.

     

     Reliance Broadcast Network CEO Tarun Katial said in a statement, “As we consolidate our position with new, clutter breaking shows, we felt the need to align the packaging to reflect the channel philosophy. It is our endeavour to constantly enhance our product and viewer experience in keeping with audience and advertiser requirements.”

     

    Embodying the channels philosophy of providing refreshing content the new packaging has been crafted after extensive research and audience feedback.  With elements ranging from a colourful butterfly which unveils the lineup, to light streaks and gold dust and a Mediterranean colour palette, the packaging is unique and ties back to the light entertainment offering of the channel.

     

    The channel is available across key DTH players ranging from Airtel, Videocon d2h, DD Free Dish, Dish TV and Reliance Digital TV to Hathway, Incable, Digicable, DEN, 7 Star, ABS, Siticable, Star Broadband and GTPL amongst others.

  • Videocon d2h’s Saurabh Dhoot: HD, big driver of ARPUs

    Videocon d2h’s Saurabh Dhoot: HD, big driver of ARPUs

    BALI: He is young, but the young Dhoot scion’s debut on the Asian stage at the Asia Pacific Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali was pretty impressive by most yardsticks. Dhoot dismissed any suggestions about DTH operators getting together to bring down content costs. “We at Videocon d2h have very good relations with broadcasters. We don’t have a single court case against any of them; we don’t have any contentious disagreements over packages. And we don’t want to get into any complex arrangements,” he said.

     

    He revealed that the newest DTH player has about 11 million gross subs out of which about seven million plus are active.  “It’s all about how everything is being executed,” he said. “And we are doing it right. The top two or three players have almost 70-80 per cent of active subs. India is a land of opportunities; there is space for everyone even for a FreeDish.”

     

    The next phase for the DTH players is going to be about HD, he emphasised.  “We embraced HD from day one.  HD is a game changer in our plan. HD sub base will treble—that will make a great difference to ARPUs.”

     

    Additionally, he said that packaging of products such as kid’s packs will make a difference. “We need to work with our broadcast partners to work out new packages,” he highlighted.

     

    He revealed that the company was generating cash from operations, excluding finance costs, depreciation and amortization.

     

    One of the big impediments to growth of the DTH business is regulatory is Saurabh Dhoot’s view. “The 30 per cent entertainment tax in some states almost equals to the tax on alcohol and cigarettes. We as an industry need to come together to raise our voice. It is archaic and needs to be changed,” he concluded.

  • GroupM elevates Jai Lala and Sidharth Parashar

    GroupM elevates Jai Lala and Sidharth Parashar

    MUMBAI: GroupM has elevated two of its senior executives of the Central Trading Group (CTG). The company elevates Sidharth Parashar as head, Pricing & Investments, and Jai Lala as head, Trading & Partnerships.

     

    Both Lala and Parashar will report to CTG south Asia managing partner Prasanth Kumar.

     

    Prior to his promotion, Parashar was the agency buying head for Maxus, for over five years, where he was a valued member of the leadership team, working on media mandates for brands such as Google, Nokia, Vodafone to name a few. In his new role Parashar will be responsible to facilitate and execute GroupM investment mandates across media. His key focus will be on the GroupM trading products that should continue to offer the edge to our clients. All the GroupM agency trading heads and cluster heads will now report in to Praashar.

     

    Prior to Lala’s elevation, he was the agency trading head for Mindshare, where he worked on media mandates for clients such as Pepsi, GlaxoSmithkline, ICICI, Aditya Birla Group and Nike. Going forward Lala will be managing all trading mandates at GroupM. He will also be heading a team of all the heads across verticals: Proprietary media, DTH, Xaxis, Syndication, GME and Special projects and maximize value for our clients. He will also work closely with Parashar and the agency trading heads on delivering the maximum ROI on media investments.

     

    Speaking on the new structure, Kumar said, “As we move into a growth phase largely driven by converging synergies across the group and driving client satisfaction it has become critical that we create more focus, especially in the area of media investment. With the development of new concepts of integrated media, merging traditional and digital media, we are also looking at reforming the way we plan our investments as a central hub. This new structure in our core function will deliver unparalleled client delight and value.”

  • Disney junior reaches out to 26.5 million households across the nation

    Disney junior reaches out to 26.5 million households across the nation

    MUMBAI: Disney Junior, the globally acclaimed entertainment destination designed especially for the youngest members of the family, their parents and caregivers, will now be available on two of India’s leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms – Tata Sky and Airtel digital TV. The channel which showcases both classic and new Disney characters, will now reach out to all the subscribers of Tata Sky and Airtel digital TV with the same magical storytelling with a heart that generations of Disney fans have come to know and love.

     

    “Disney Junior is an engaging, learning-focused and unique Disney destination with elements that encourage early childhood development, wrapped in strong emotionally connected storytelling. Over the past year, we have been committed to bringing wonderful stories through shows such as ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’, ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates’, along with recent additions such as “Sofia The First” and “Henry Hugglemonster”. These shows have not only been the hallmark of the Disney experience but have also served as a learning and development tool for our young viewers. We are very happy to bring Disney Junior to the Tata Sky and Airtel digital TV viewers”, said Nikhil Gandhi, Vice President and Head of Ad Sales, Media Networks, Disney India

     

    Disney Junior fulfills the parents’ expectations, blending unparalleled storytelling and beloved characters with learning components that encourage social and emotional development as well as cognitive skills. It’s globally acclaimed stories help develop skills such as early math and language as well as healthy eating and lifestyles along with building emotional connections with the iconic as well as new characters which form the most ‘fun’ aspect of growing up. The original series include ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates’, ‘Doc McStuffins’, ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’, ‘A Poem Is…’, ‘Handy Manny,’ ‘Little Einsteins’, “Special Agent Oso” and more.

     

    The channel recently announced the availability of Disney Junior’s most popular iOS apps, “Jake’s Never Land Pirate School,” developed internationally on Android devices in Google Play and for Kindle tablets in the Amazon Appstore. Using “Jake’s Never Land Pirate School” App, kids can become completely immersed in Never Land, completing pirate-themed challenges such as Sailing, Pirate Band, Map & Spyglasses and Pixie Dust. The app also enables fans to capture or import a photo to create a personalized pirate face, and the Pirate School Captain’s Log tracks class levels completed and Badges of Honor earned so that kids can earn their official Pirate Certificate. The “Jake’s Never Land Pirate School” App is $2.99.  

     

    Disney Junior continues to be available across other leading DTH and digital players in India.