ITV

Tag: FM

  • SRFTI lauds proposed ‘Institute of National Importance Status’ by FM

    SRFTI lauds proposed ‘Institute of National Importance Status’ by FM

    KOLKATA: Praising the proposal made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to accord Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata the status of ‘Institute of National Importance,’ its director has said that the move would open up new vistas in education of aspirants as well as boost international collaborations.

     

    FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata, the two premium film institutes in the country, would be accorded the status of institutes of national importance, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

     

    “It is good to know that SRFTI is being considered important on a national scale. It will open up new avenues for education in cinema and television. We have collaborative projects but this status will provide a boost to further partnerships globally,” SRFTI director Sanjaya Pattanayak said.

     

    Veterans from the Bengal film and television industry also lauded the decision. “Education in filmmaking is important,” they added.

     

    Experts feel that though Bengal was supposed to get more in terms of textile, agriculture and farming, the Budget mentioned nothing on those lines. “It is good that the minister at least thought about SRFTI. It will help students who are keen to take television and cinema as career options,” experts added.

  • Esha Media Research may foray into radio monitoring

    Esha Media Research may foray into radio monitoring

    KOLKATA: Esha Media Research, a media monitoring and research company, which currently monitors 140 channels across the nation, in all languages, is mulling to start radio monitoring.

     

    The centre is considering allowing privately-owned FM radio channels to start their own news broadcast.

     

    Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar in an earlier statement to the media had said, “My heart goes out to all the private FM players. I see no reason why it should not be allowed or why only All India Radio (AIR) can air news. Soon the auction for phase III will start and after that, one will hear the good news.”

     

    The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) listed Esha Media already has the system and technology for radio monitoring in place.

     

    “We will start radio monitoring if the privately-owned FM radio channels start having dedicated news slots. We will see how many stations come up and what kind of news slots and contents are created for their news broadcast,” says Esha Media Research managing director RS Iyer.

     

    He pinpoints that since radio can be played while on the move, so if the platform can create good programme schedules, then Esha is likely to do well in that vertical as well. Around 95 per cent of the research agency revenue is generated from the institutional clients, that is, corporate.

     

    “If there is more corporate and current affairs content, it would be beneficial for us,” he says.

     

    Presently, all the FM broadcasters, apart from AIR, are not allowed to air any news on current affairs, except for weather reports, stock market news and local traffic updates.

     

    A city-based expert on the development says, “Once radio stations start airing news, the way advertisers and audience look at the medium will change. Apart from this, a lot of potential change in programming and tie ups with news agencies could be expected once the guidelines are clear.”

     

    On Esha entering the radio monitoring space, he says, “It is a very progressive and logical step for Esha to foray into a similar business interest.”

     

    Similarly, Incubators Group chairperson Kaushlendra Singh Sengar too feels that it is an innovative and good effort initiated by the company.

     

    He, however, sounded a note of caution. He believes that keeping the future trend in mind it does not seem productive as today one can get news updates on phone, social networking portals and other web portals. “Listening to music on radio is one thing, but we can’t expect much growth in the near future for radio channels dedicated to news updates only.”

  • Swipe Telecom expands its calling Tablet PCs portfolio with Halo Value +

    Swipe Telecom expands its calling Tablet PCs portfolio with Halo Value +

    MUMBAI: California based Swipe Telecom, a leading innovator in the Tablet industry in India; has unveiled yet another innovative Tablet PC – Swipe Halo Value +. This Value for money device is expected to cater to the need of the hour by offering cutting edge technology at an astounding price of Rs. 6,699/-for 512 MB RAM variant & 6,999/- for 1 GB RAM variant. Swipe Halo Value + is the brand new addition to the Swipe Telecom’s series of calling Tablet PC’s- “The Halo Series ”, consisting of the products: Halo Tab X 74S, Halo Edge, Halo Value and Halo 3G.

    Swipe Halo Value + is crafted to offer superior performance with the latest & fastest version of Android Jelly Bean 4.1 OS. The tablet is powered by 1.2 GHz Dual core processor which is a must for graphic heavy games and complex applications and comes with a 1 GB or 512 MB DDRII RAM. Swipe Halo Value supports high speed browsing and calling via EDGE 2.75G and video calls through Skype.

    The 7inch Display of Swipe Halo Value + enhances the video quality and it will make viewing experience more pleasurable.The gigantic 3000mAH battery ensures the tablet gets through the day with even the heaviest use.

    Weighing only 380 gms, the Swipe Halo Value + has a 2 MP rear and a 0.3 MP front camera that helps in clicking high quality pictures and video chat effectively. Music admirers can enjoy their favorite music on the go with the superior stereo speakers.

    The Tab is pre-loaded with amazing applications covering games, entertainment, education and social networking in addition to the 60,000+ available through Google Play Store. There is ample space for all requirements such as applications, movies etc with 4 GB in-built memory expandable upto 32 GB through the Micro SD card. Swipe Halo Value + also loaded with Bluetooth, FM, GPS and Wi-Fi.

    Log on to www.swipetelecom.com to check out the wide range of tablet PCs from Swipe Telecom or call 1-800-1-038-038 to book it. The tablet is also available for the customers on the Swipe telecom e-store, eBay, Flipkart and Homeshop18 online and other leading online portals.

  • DD, AIR to commence fiction series depicting issues of rural India

    DD, AIR to commence fiction series depicting issues of rural India

    NEW DELHI: Come Thursday and Doordarshan and All India Radio will air fiction shows which highlight the travails of the rural poor and how flagship programmes help them overcome their problems. While DD will showcase Poorva Suhani Aayi Re, the All India Radio will air Priya.

     

    Poorva Suhani Aayi Re is a 52 episode soap directed by Sanjiv Kaul of Kyunki Saas bhi kabhi bahu thhi fame. Priya is a 12 episode show which will reach audiences pan-India through AIR’s various channels, in 22 languages. The protagonists of both programmes are women – Poorva being a married woman and Priya a poor uneducated girl.

     

    While the soap on Doordarshan will be aired every Thursday at 10.00 pm, the AIR series will be broadcast on different channels at different times. Produced by AIR Delhi, it will be broadcast every Thursday with effect from 8 August at 6.15 to 6.30 pm from Vividh Bharati MW 219.3 mtr. i.e. 1368 KHz and every Friday from 9 August on FM (Gold) 106.4 MHz at 12.10 pm to 12.25 pm, on FM (Rainbow) 102.6 MHz at 2.45 pm and also on Indraprastha Channel MW 366.3 mtr. – 819 KHz at 12.45 pm to 1.00 pm in Women’s Programme Aadha Akash Hamara.

     

    Poorva Suhani Aayi Re tells the story of the illiterate village girl Poorva, a highly motivated woman who through her courage and commitment gives a voice to her fellow villagers and makes them aware of the benefits of various welfare schemes and policies and helps them to improve their living standards.

     

    The serial takes viewers on the journey of Poorva and how slowly she plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the village/ panchayat, fight for the rights of people and empowering the voiceless. Poorva Suhani Aayi Re, will showcase real life success stories of people who have benefited from the government’s policies, in a fiction format.

     

    Speaking at a press meet today, Kaul said that the series had been suitably dramatised to ensure viewer interest and aims at being a propagandistic programme. “We want to give the real picture of rural India. TV is not about stars but about the script. Certain actors become stars only because of good scripts.”

     

    Doordarshan director general Tripurari Sharan said that the series is based on real-life stories of women in different parts of the country, who have come into the vortex of democracy. “Though an element of drama has been added to keep the viewer glued, the stories are based on real experiences,” he informed.

     

    Denying any allegations on the series being a propaganda for the elections next year he said, “Even series like Hum and Jamuniya dealt with similar subjects.”

     

    Among the others present in the press meet were deputy director general Ranjan Thakur and Raj Shekhar Vyas. Addressing the media Thakur said, “The role of the public service broadcaster has acquired a new meaning in the past two years.”

  • My FM elevates Rahul Namjoshi as national corporate sales head

    MUMBAI: My FM has announced changes in its management team to address growth in key markets. The private FM station has elevated Rahul Namjoshi to the position of national corporate sales head.

    In his new role, all non-station market sales teams including Mumbai, Delhi, South and government will report to him with immediate effect.

    He will continue to report to My FM CEO Harrish Bhatia.

    Read full report here:

    My FM elevates Rahul Namjoshi as national corporate sales head

  • Oye! FM launches new TVC

    Oye! FM launches new TVC

    MUMBAI: Oye! FM ‘sabse filmy‘ has rolled out its second TVC directed by Bollywood director, Pradeep Sarkar.

    It is inspired by Bollywood movie Delly Belly‘s popular song Bhaag DK Bose.

    The Ghazal-ized TVC targets emotional appeal and is based on radio station‘s popular property Khas Peshkash.

    Oye! FM‘s property, Khas Peshkash takes famous Bollywood item numbers and gives them a Ghazal flavor.

    “Its simplicity is what makes Khas Peshkash stand apart from the clutter that can be heard on radio these days” Oye! FM national content head Virag Mishra said. “Our production team has put in a lot of effort in re-doing songs like DK Bose and Sheila Ki Jawani because while we want to make these songs different and reach out to the common man, we do not want to strip the original tracks of their integrity.”

    “People are talking about us and our content, we are trending. This is because features like Khas Peshkash, Cinema Ke Faiyde and Golmal are quality entertainment, it‘s as simple as that”, Oye! FM national programming head Vehrnon Ibrahim added.

    The ‘Bhaag DK Bose‘ TVC is set in a train‘s crowded sleeper compartment. A troupe of local musicians enter the coach with their gear to entertain weary travelers and make some money. Such troupes can be as disruptive as they are entertaining; in this case the musicians target one odd young man sitting in the compartment, determined to bring out his inner Bollywood fan, the official communiqué said.

    The first TVC, also directed by Pradeep Sarkar, was based on the Khas Peshkash version of item number ‘Shiela ki Jawani‘.

  • TV Today Q2 posts losses amid revenue dip

    TV Today Q2 posts losses amid revenue dip

    MUMBAI: TV Today Network has reported second-quarter losses as its revenue drops over six per cent, but advertising is expected to speed up in the next two quarters of the fiscal.

    The company has posted a net loss of Rs 75.89 million for the three months ended 30 September, as against a net profit of Rs 106.12 million.

    Income from operations stood at Rs 603.07 million, down from Rs 645.45 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

    “The second quarter has been bad as news channels have lost advertising to general entertainment channels. But the October month has been extremely good and we expect a strong rebound in the third quarter. The worst seems to be over,” a source said.

    The company’s expenses also surged to Rs 724.46 million, compared to Rs 561.46 million a year ago.

    However, the company said that the financials are not comparable to the year-ago period as the current quarter also includes radio broadcasting business of the erstwhile Radio Today Broadcasting.

    TV Today operates a clutch of news channels including Aaj Tak and Headlines Today. The radio business operates FM radio stations under recently renamed Oye FM brand (earlier known as Meow FM).
      
         
      For the TV broadcasting segment, TV Today posted a revenue of Rs 596.22 million and an operating loss of Rs 40.57 million. In the trailing quarter, the company had posted a revenue of Rs 641.39 million and an operating profit of Rs 49.05 million.

    The radio business posted an operating loss of Rs 64.17 million on an income of Rs 6.85 million. In the first quarter, operating loss stood at Rs Rs 43.32 million on an income of Rs 8.69 million.

  • Sahara India Media CEO and Editor-in-Chief Sanjeev Srivastava quits

    Sahara India Media CEO and Editor-in-Chief Sanjeev Srivastava quits

    MUMBAI: Barely after a four-month stint at Sahara India Media, Sanjeev Srivastava has quit as CEO and Editor-in-Chief.

    Srivastava had joined Sahara Group in January this year, and was heading all media-related activities of the Group.

    Confirming to Indiantelevision.com, Srivastava said, “Yes I have quit today. I have a few options but have not decided as of now.”

    Prior to Sahara, Srivastava was India editor at BBC. He comes with over 25 years of experience in journalism with various media organisations including the Times of India and Indian Express. Working for 16 years with the BBC, he most recently led the entire BBC Hindi output generated from India across all platforms of delivery, including FM, short wave and online.

  • BBC World Service weekly audiences in India grow by one million

    BBC World Service weekly audiences in India grow by one million

    MUMBAI: BBC World Service’s weekly radio audience estimate is 182 million listeners a week across its 33 language services – down one million on last year’s record 183 million total.

    However the English language service attracted 40 million weekly listeners – up two million on last year. BBC World Service weekly audiences in Indian and Nigerian radio markets each grew by around a million or more during the year. BBC World Service is now available on FM in 154 capital cities, up from 152 last year.

    The BBC World Service has published its annual review. In his foreword, BBC World Service director Nigel Chapman said, “It was a broadcasting year that saw the launch of the first BBC television news channel for a decade, improvements to our future media services, and the retention of our global radio listenership after the large increase of the previous 12 months.

    “In these ways, 2007/08 can be seen as a defining year; we demonstrated our ability to innovate while retaining the affection of audiences, who have been loyal to us for a large part of our history.”

    BBC World Service is further developing its multimedia strategy, including the launch of BBC Arabic television. Independent research indicates that BBC World Service’s reputation for providing unbiased and objective news and information is stronger than that of any other international radio competitor in virtually all markets surveyed.

    BBC World Service’s online sites attracted a record 259.6 million page impressions in March 2008, compared to 189.8 million in March 2007, an increase of 37 per cent.

    BBC Global News services – which include BBC World Service, BBC World News television and bbc.com/news (the BBC’s international-facing online news site) – maintained its record global weekly audience of over 233 million during 2007/08.

    BBC World Service’s Grant-in-aid funding for 2007/08 was £255 million.

  • Star Group pays Rs 72 million for 20 % stake in Radio City

    Star Group pays Rs 72 million for 20 % stake in Radio City

    NEW DELHI: Star Group has received FIPB (foreign investment promotion board) approval for investing Rs 72.02 million to pick up a 20 per cent stake in Music Broadcast Pvt. Ltd. (MBPL), the company that operates FM radio business under the Radio City brand.

    The acquisition is being made through Mauritius-based Acetic Investments. Star had earlier exited from Radio City, having sold its stake for Rs 300 million. India Value Fund had acquired a controlling stake in MBPL.
    Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that Star was making a re-entry into the FM radio business by buying 20 per cent equity from India Value Fund (earlier GW Capital). With this, India Value Fund’s holding would drop from 75 per cent to 55 per cent.

    “It may be a buy back arrangement Star had with India Value Fund. Being the second largest player, the valuation of Radio City will be pretty high,” says a source who is tracking the industry.

    The government regulations permit only 20 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the FM radio business.