ITV

Tag: forms

  • Internet Streaming Media Alliance forms IPTV workgroup

    MUMBAI: The US-based Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA) has formed an IPTV workgroup. The goals of the workgroup are to monitor developing standards or specifications for deploying an IPTV system, to create an interoperability conformance program for IPTV and to promote solutions that pass conformance testing.
     
     

    ISMA is a global alliance of industry leaders dedicated to the adoption and deployment of open standards for streaming rich media such as video, audio, and associated data over Internet protocols.

    With the world-wide deployment of consumer broadband connectivity, the broadcasting community has faced the emergence of a new medium for video delivery to the home: the Internet Protocol. Whether referred to as IPTV, TV over IP, TV over DSL, or Broadband TV, it consists of the same set of techniques that allow the delivery of live video streams, as well as content on demand, to a subscriber through a broadband connection supporting Internet Protocol (IP), states an official release.
     
     

    “IPTV deployments relying on proprietary solutions for one carrier network may not be applicable to another network. This creates additional development and integration costs for all the players such as carriers, headend providers, network equipments providers, and set-top box providers. Recognizing a clear need for standardization in many areas, the ISMA has created an IPTV work group to recognize and promote interoperable solutions where multi-vendor competition can be assured,” ISMA IPTV workgroup chairman Jean-Francois Fleury said.

  • News Corp forms Internet unit

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp has announced the formation of an online unit Fox Interactive Media (Fim).

    The new unit will leverage the strength of Fox’s entertainment, news and sports brands across the Internet to offer a richer online experience to its millions of users.

    It may be recalled that it was just three months ago that News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch had called for a focussed look at how to leverage online online distribution, more so in the wake of the steady increases in advertising dollars that the Intenet was pulling in.

    The company states that veteran media and interactive executive Ross Levinsohn will become Fim president. Fim will be based in Los Angeles. Additionally, veteran Fox News executive Bert Solivan will join as executive VP.

    Fim will manage the growing stable of interactive assets from all Fox divisions – including the highly trafficked foxsports.com, foxnews.com and fox.com, as well as coordinate the owned-and-operated television station web properties. FIM will immediately focus on creating a robust broadband experience leveraging the vast current and archive video assets, while also building an integrated hub of dynamic content with multiple points of entry, seamless navigation and the ability to customize and personalize.

    It will provide the ultimate home base for users’ news, information, entertainment and community needs. The new division will also pursue strategic investments which will aim at further enhancing the Internet experience for Fox users.

    Fim executives will work closely with Fox’s wireless entertainment and digital media groups as well as with management of all Fox units to ensure that each operating division continues to shape its unique voice on the web.

    Murdoch said, “We are launching this new unit after months of internal study and discussion among News Corp. senior management from all key divisions. Across the board, we believe no other media company has been as successful at creating distinctive content and finding ways to distribute it over every conceivable platform to mass audiences around the world. We’re confident this success will translate to the Internet. We believe that the time is right for the launch of Fim and we’re committed to devoting the resources to make it one of the premier companies on the web.”

    Levinsohn said, “I am thrilled with the opportunity to lead this exciting new venture. Rupert Murdoch and Peter Chernin are committed to making Fim a key player in the new media landscape and our operating divisions are excited to have a stake in this new business. We have all the building blocks for success and we’re convinced that by combining our internet assets under one banner and making a few shrewd investments, we can quickly become one of the most exciting and innovative destinations on the web.”

  • Walt Disney forms mobile business management team

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) has announced the appointment of three executives to its new Disney Mobile business that will create the first national US wireless phone service specifically designed for families.

    George Grobar, a 10-year Disney veteran, will lead the venture as senior vice president and general manager of Disney Mobile. Rod Egdorf and Sunir Kochhar have joined the company as Disney Mobile vice president and chief marketing officer and vice president product development and operations respectively.

    Heading up the business, Grobar is responsible for all major functions including operations, business development, sales and marketing and research and development. He reports to Steve Wadsworth, president, WDIG. Egdorf, who was previously with General Motors’ OnStar subsidiary, will oversee consumer marketing, distribution, and media and advertising strategies. Kochhar, who joins Disney from Iris Wireless, will lead product development and operations. Egdorf and Kochhar report to Grobar, stated an official release.

    “We’re very pleased with the team we are building for Disney Mobile. George has very strong operations experience and with a long history in management at Disney and its Internet Group. He is ideal to lead and grow this new segment of our business,” WDIG president Steve Wadsworth said. “Rod and Sunir are true pros who bring us deep mobile industry expertise, which is clearly a tremendous asset to this new team.”

    Previously, Grobar served as vice president and general manager, Disney Auctions, which is part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, and as vice president and general manager for the ESPN and NASCAR Online stores.

    Egdorf is a 14-year veteran of the telecommunications and mobile industries with extensive experience in business and service launches. He previously served as vice president, wireless for General Motor’s Onstar, overseeing marketing and business development functions. Prior to that, Egdorf was the Los Angeles area vice president for Sprint PCS where he was responsible for the successful start-up and launch of this sales region. Egdorf’s additional industry experience includes serving as president of Citizen’s Telecom, a start-up long distance company in Connecticut, and as regional vice president, sales and marketing for McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. He holds a master’s of business administration degree from Golden Gate University and a bachelor’s of science degree from Arizona State University.

    Kochhar has more than 20 years experience in the mobile and telecommunications industries with expertise spanning from operations and customer relations to billing systems and partnership negotiations. He joins Disney from Iris Wireless, a developer of global messaging software solutions for wireless carriers, where he was chief operating officer. There he oversaw operations, as well as the company’s customer service, billing and data centers.