ITV

Tag: GigaMedia

  • UTV LOOKS AT DD BROADBAND BONDING AND 2001 IPO

    UTV LOOKS AT DD BROADBAND BONDING AND 2001 IPO

    Media company UTV’s Singapore subisdiary is in talks with state-owned broadcaster DD to promote its online initiative, ddindia.com in Singapore. UTV Chairman Ronnie Screwvala says that revenue sharing discussions are on to launch ddindia.com on the UTV-owned sharkstream.com, its streaming video portal. Screwvala refused to divulge any further details on what the revenue share is likely to be as nothing had been finalised as yet.

    He, however, pointed out that sharkstream.com has a subscriber base of 90,000 subscribers in Singapore courtesy its linkup with the local broadband initiative there, Singapore One. UTV receives a part of the Sing$ 3 to $9 per month that Singapore One collects from each of its subs. “The arrangement is under review,” points out Screwvala.

    Currently, sharkstream.com webcasts 17 video channels and 70 audio channels. 180 hours of programming are available for pay per view access to subscribers. sharkstream.com has also recently launched via MSO GigaMedia in Taiwan, and plans an Indian launch this month.

    Screwvala added that the UTV board had recently approved the prospectus for its proposed public issue, and expects to place it with Sebi withn three weeks. UTV hopes to launch the US$ 40 million (Rs 1,859 million) public issue in early January 2001, to fund its expansion plans.

    Some 90 percent of the issue will be sold via the book building route, with 10 percent being offered to retail investors. The funds are slated to be utilised to add content at both UTV and its animation offshoot UTV Tons, the company’s broadband projects and finally to reduce the its present debt.

    The UTV IPO has been one of the most awaited in recent times. Announced about a year ago, it has yet to make its debut. Screwvala and his team have been threatening to unravel it almost every two months. But they have decided against it time and again thanks either to the Nasdaq downturn, or the fizzling of new economy stocks. Hopefully, UTV means business this time.

     

  • Star TV to launch new corporate identity campaign; drops TV from its name

    Star TV to launch new corporate identity campaign; drops TV from its name

    Come 5 February and a new corporate campaign is slated to break across Asia. That of rebranding Star TV as Star. The campaign covers a high-pitch run in newspapers and magazines and possibly the outdoors later.

    Star TV Asia chairman and CEO James Murdoch explains in a letter mailed to senior industry professionals has explained why TV is being dropped from the brand identity. He says that the past 10 years have seen a satellite TV broadcaster evolve into a company with strengths in:
    The new Star logo

    *Content (19,000 hours of programming; seven languages, 300 million viewers in 53 countries)

    *Distribution (partnerships with companies such as GigaMedia in Taiwan, Hathway in India – which should see enhanced television services and electronic programme guides being introduced in 2001).

    *Radio (for once it has admitted that it is involved in FM broadcasting though through its media partner Mittal who is launching six FM stations in 2001. “We believe the commercial FM market in India is one the most promising new media sectors in the region,” says Murdoch in the note.

    *Internet (owned properties such as channelv.com, vindia.com, espnstar.com, partnerships with others such as netease.com, indya.com)

    Murdoch adds that “by leveraging our brands, content, technology, local expertise and extensive infrastructure; and by forging important partnerships in key markets, we are actively creating the next generation of media connectivity in Asia. As STAR evolves from a television brand to a multi-service, multi-platform brand, we are evolving our identity from the media (i.e. from STAR TV) to the core of our brand, i.e. STAR.”