ITV

Tag: Hannibal

  • AXN is official TV partner for Comic Con India 2015

    AXN is official TV partner for Comic Con India 2015

    MUMBAI: English entertainment channel AXN has collaborated with a comic based convention Comic Con India for its Delhi and Mumbai edition of 2015.

     

    The channel is the exclusive television partner for the Delhi Comic Con from 4 to 6 December 2015 whereas the Mumbai Film and Comic Con will be held from 19 to 20 December at Bombay Exhibition Centre.

     

    The channel has arranged a dedicated zone to uniquely engage with the fans and visitors of Comic Con India both in Delhi and Mumbai. It has also created an experiential photo booth called the AXN Wall of Hunks wherein viewers can click pictures with their favourite characters. Onlookers can participate in the customised character interaction opportunity and win exclusive AXN goodies. The event will also see the widely loved characters at the zone. 

     

    AXN will also host two special experiential activities at the AXN zone with Ray Donovan and Hannibal. The Donovan’s Fight Club will have fans punching their way through a challenge that will get them beat the power of Ray Donovan’s fists and be eligible to win exclusive Ray Donovan merchandise.

     

    The second innovative activation will have fans literally put their head on a platter at Hannibal’s very own dining table and get clicked.

     

    The channel will organise an exclusive AXN session on the main stage, wherein it will showcase the most iconic scenes of its key shows, followed by a quiz for the audience. AXN will also give a peek into the line-up of upcoming shows.

  • Discovery eyes November launch for TLC channel in Turkey

    Discovery eyes November launch for TLC channel in Turkey

    MUMBAI: Come November and Discovery will be launching its female-skewed TLC channel in Turkey as a free-to-air (FTA) channel following its acquisition of Turkish national FTA entertainment channel CNBC-e from Dogus Media Group.

     

    With this, Discovery will have a total of four channels airing in Turkey namely TLC, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Science.

     

    The new channel will replace CNBC-e and offer a mix of non-scripted and scripted international entertainment and lifestyle programming. The shows that will be aired on the channel include Fear the Walking Dead, Aquarius, Poldark, Oprah Prime and Oprah’s Master Class. Additionally, the shows that were previously on CNBC-e including The Vikings, Hannibal and Mike & Molly will also find a place on the channel.

     

    ”Today marks a new era in our Turkish business, as we close our deal with Dogus Media Group to acquire CNBC-e and announce the launch of TLC – Discovery’s leading lifestyle and entertainment channel brand and first free to air channel in the growing Turkish market. Discovery successfully runs both Pay-TV and free to air platforms in a number of markets across Europe, and TLC Turkey will offer a diverse mix of content that adds value to our existing strong portfolio, including dedicated feeds for Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Science. TLC is the channel Turkey has been waiting for and we look forward to presenting it to viewers and our commercial partners this November,” said Discovery Networks CEEMEA EVP and country manager, emerging business James Gibbons.

     

    Dogus Media Group chairman Erman Yerdelen added, ”As Dogus Media Group, we believe Discovery Communications will introduce the Turkish market to a totally new channel, reflecting the latest trends in various types of entertainment under a very strong brand like TLC. We look forward to working alongside Discovery on future projects and offering even more surprises for Turkish viewers.”

  • ‘Broadchurch’ wins Best Drama BAFTA, ‘Breaking Bad’ wins Best Foreign Drama

    ‘Broadchurch’ wins Best Drama BAFTA, ‘Breaking Bad’ wins Best Foreign Drama

    MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the winners of this evening’s Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, celebrating and rewarding the very best programmes and performances of the past year. The ceremony was hosted by Graham Norton at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. The presenters included Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Davina McCall (The Jump), Hugh Dancy (Hannibal), Jeremy Piven (Mr. Selfridge), Marvin Humes (The X Factor), Martin Freeman (Sherlock), Mel & Sue (The Great British Bake-Off), Olympiad Mo Farah, Naomi Campbell (The Face), legendary television presenter Paul O’Grady, Ross Kemp (Eastenders), Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders) and Sheridan Smith (The Widower).

     

    Crime drama Broadchurch was recognised in three categories: Olivia Colman won the BAFTA for Leading Actress for her performance as DS Ellie Miller, whilst co-star David Bradley received his first BAFTA for Supporting Actor. Colman’s win takes her career tally to three; she has now won a BAFTA in each of the performance categories. The programme also won a BAFTA in the highly competitive Drama Series category.

     

    The IT Crowd was rewarded in both comedy performance categories, with Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson winning their first BAFTAs for Male and Female Performance in a Comedy Programme respectively. The BAFTA for Situation Comedy went to Him & Her: The Wedding, the first of two awards won by BBC Three.

     

    The BAFTA for Leading Actor went to first-time nominee Sean Harris for his performance as Stephen Morton in Southcliffe, the drama about a small town’s shootings. Sarah Lancashire, another first-time BAFTA winner, took home the award for Supporting Actress, her second nomination in as many years for her performance in BBC One’s popular drama, Last Tango in Halifax.

     

    Ant and Dec, one of the nation’s most popular double-acts, fended off stiff competition from Charlie Brooker, Sarah Millican and ceremony host Graham Norton to take home the BAFTA in the Entertainment Performance category for Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, which also won the Entertainment Programme category. The award for Soap & Continuing Drama returned to Weatherfield as Coronation Street added a tenth BAFTA to its collection.

     

    In its first year at the BAFTAs, Netflix took home the International award for Breaking Bad, the global television phenomenon that follows a terminally ill man on his journey from chemistry teacher to drug lord.

     

    The award for Mini-Series went to BBC Three hit In The Flesh, written by BAFTA Breakthrough Brit and Television Craft Award-winner Dominic Mitchell. The BAFTA for Single Drama was won by domestic terrorism thriller Complicit.

     

    Channel 4 fared well in factual: Bedlam won for Factual Series; The Murder Trial, which saw cameras placed inside a British court for the entirety of a trial, won for Single Documentary; and Syria: Across the Lines (Dispatches) received the BAFTA for Current Affairs, the tenth BAFTA (across Television and Television Craft) for a Dispatches film. Gogglebox, in its first series, was successful in the Reality & Constructed Factual category.

     

    Bringing ITV’s tally to eight BAFTAs, Long Lost Family won in Features and ITV News at Ten: Woolwich Attacks in News Coverage.

     

    Sky achieved success across a range of programming with its three nominations converting to wins in factual, sport and comedy: David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive 3D received the BAFTA for Specialist Factual; The Ashes 2013 – 1st Test, Day 5 took home the award for Sport & Live Event; and A League of Their Own won the BAFTA for Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme.

     

    The Radio Times Audience Award, the only award voted for by the public, was won by Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor, beating Breaking Bad, Broadchurch, Educating Yorkshire, Gogglebox and The Great British Bake Off.

     

    The Special Award was presented to Cilla Black, the entertainer, actress and singer, for her 50-year contribution to British television entertainment.

     

    The Fellowship, the highest accolade the Academy bestows, was presented to actress Julie Walters (Harry Potter films) in recognition of an exceptional contribution to television over 30 years and her ground-breaking work across a range of genres, from serious drama to comedy.

  • AXN set to reign Saturdays with ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Voice’

    AXN set to reign Saturdays with ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Voice’

    MUMBAI: Its double trouble this March as AXN is back with its two most popular shows – The Voice and Hannibal. The much awaited fresh seasons of the series will be on-air making weekends more exciting and thrilling for AXN viewers.

    The highly anticipated second season of Hannibal will commence 1 March at 9:00 pm.  Based on characters and elements appearing in the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, Hannibal focuses on the budding relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham’s most cunning enemy.

    The episodes of the second season will all be named after a Japanese delicacy, with the season opener titled Kaiseki, which in Japanese refers to the art or skill in preparing a multi-course meal. In the season premiere, Will (Hugh Dancy) is determined to fight for his innocence as Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) and Jack (Laurence Fishburne) try to wrap their heads around the fact he’s behind bars. Meanwhile, Alana (Caroline Dhavernas) faces a strained relationship with Will while Kade Purnell (Cynthia Nixon) with the FBI pays him a visit.

    “The new season of Hannibal is for the evolved audiences. While in the first season, people compared it with the various movies like Silence of the Lambs, this season is more established since there is a lot more awareness about the show. Season two will grab a different set of audiences-a lot more intellectual and with a culinary bent. There are multiple twists, a lot more intensity and international cuisine to look out for,” says AXN Networks India business head Sunil Punjabi.

    AXN’s most watched singing reality show, The Voice, returns with Season 6 and promises to be more exciting and exhilarating for the fans as the multi-talented rapper Usher and Latina queen Shakira are back in the ‘oh so famous’ red swivel chairs. Alongside are two-time winning and reigning champ Adam Levine, and three-time winning coach Blake Shelton.

  • AXN to launch serial killer thriller ‘Hannibal’ in April

    AXN to launch serial killer thriller ‘Hannibal’ in April

    MUMBAI: AXN will kick off the show ‘Hannibal’ about iconic serial killer Hannibal Lecter from 5 April.

     

    The serial killer was previously played by actor Anthony Hopkins in the movies ‘Silence of the Lambs’ for which he won an Oscar ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Red Dragon’. The younger version of the character on the television series will now be portrayed by Casino Royale’s Mads Mikkelsen.

     

    What is exciting is that Dr. Lecter is not depicted as a villain. He is seen as a talented being and if not aware, it is not possible for the viewers to know that he is the serial killer.

  • ‘India is the biggest market in which SPT Networks, Asia operates’ : Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia executive VP, GM Ricky Ow

    ‘India is the biggest market in which SPT Networks, Asia operates’ : Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia executive VP, GM Ricky Ow

    AXN Network has recently created a new position to focus in its biggest growth market. Sunil Punjabi has been appointed as the business head and will be handling AXN and Animax in India.

     

    Punjabi will lead the team in developing the go-to-market strategy for new channels as well as oversee the development, acquisition and production of a content mix for SPT’s networks in India. He is also charged with driving marketing strategies to grow the channel brands and to pursue further distribution opportunities.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia executive VP, GM Ricky Ow talks about the growth prospects, particularly as India enters the digitisation era.

     

    Excerpts:

    Q. Has India become more of a priority market for SPT Networks Asia in the wake of an economic slowdown which has affected other Asian markets more like Japan and Singapore?
    While we are not able to discuss matters relating to revenue, India is the biggest market in which SPT Networks, Asia (AXN, Animax) operates. So India has always been a high priority market for us as evidenced from the fact that we have always had a dedicated service for India that has enabled us to programme, schedule and promote differently from the rest of Asia and be more relevant to our Indian viewers. The fact that India is still expected to see an economic growth, between 5.5. – 6.5 per cent this year only serves to reinforce the importance of the market.

    Q. So is India gaining importance in terms of business for SPT?
    Our key focus this year is to really understand the evolving Indian consumer. We’ve been doing business in India for 15 years now and there have been some dramatic changes in India … be it the rise of consumerism or media consumption behaviour.

    This year we’ve invested in research and made a big effort to understand the change in the Indian viewers in the context of the rapid changes in the Indian pay TV landscape with digitisation and the huge increase in new players entering the market.

    Q. What does the research show so far as AXN is concerned?
    The AXN brand is still extremely strong among consumers. With increasing competition in the English General Entertainment television space, we believe the key to success is to really understand what the viewers want. Listening carefully to what the viewers have told us, we’ve found that they prefer an AXN that sticks closely to the original high energy, thrilling entertainment formula.

    Consequently, we have kept this in mind as we programme, schedule and promote the channel, which has helped us maintain AXN’s position as the No.1 English GeneralEntertainment channel in India despite the tremendous competition.

    Q. Is that why AXN Network has created a new position and appointed a business head to run the India operations?
    Yes, we have appointed Sunil Punjabi to lead the Indian operations for AXN and Animax in India. We and our partner Multi Screen Media believe that our business in India deserves more resources and have, thus, expanded the team to capitalise on growth opportunities in India.
    ‘We and our partner Multi Screen Media believe that our business in India deserves more resources and have, thus, expanded the team to capitalise on growth opportunities in India‘

    Q. In India we are seeing more players entering the English entertainment space due to anticipation of digitisation. How will this impact viewership?
    India is a huge market with the biggest English speaking population in the whole of Asia. AXN being the number one English GE channel in Asia and India for the last 15 years has not been an easy task. There has always been competition and the future may bring even more competition but it is certainly not a stranger to us.

     

    Digitisation will offer the consumers more choices not only in the number of channels but also in the quality of their viewing experience which was not possible with the current analogue system. We are already seeing some of the impact of digitisation in some of the semi-digitised metros like Mumbai and Delhi where viewers are spending more time with the genres of their choice as well as heading straight to their favourite channels rather than having to surf through channels to get to their final destination.

     

    In a fully digitised world channel brand recognition and what they stand for will become paramount. Fortunately the AXN brand is still very much loved in India and we have become synonymous with the action genre which continues to be extremely popular in India.

    Q. Are you strengthening your localisation strategy?
    Asia and India-specific production initiatives like ‘Amazing Race Asia‘, ‘Cyril Family Vacation‘ and ‘India’s Minute to Win It‘ are an important part of our localisation strategy that helps us to not only differentiate ourselves from other channels but also build a stronger connection with our viewers.

     

    So we’re not relying on acquisition alone for tent pole programming. Our original productions enable us to have better control of our own fate, the relationship we have with our viewers and key stakeholders and partners.

    Q. Are content costs escalating with more demand for content and how do you judge whether or not a property is worth an increase in price?
    The English space in India has been very hot in the last 18 months and that will in general drive up prices. That being said, we continue to offer some of the best entertainment shows that viewers want, including the ‘CSI‘ franchise, ‘NCIS LA‘, ‘Supernatural‘, ‘The Voice‘, ‘So You Think You Can Dance‘, ‘The Amazing Race‘, while also producing our own shows like ‘The Firm‘ and our next upcoming major production, ‘Hannibal‘.

    Q. AXN Beyond was re-branded as beTV across Asia. What prompted this move?
    While AXN is doing well across region, outside India we also have two other successful brands — beTV and SonyEntertainment Television (in English). SET offers wickedly juicy entertainment that appeals to the modern female.

     

    beTV was previously AXN Beyond. A very well focused channel dedicated to fans of sci-fi, paranormal and horror programming.

     

    We made the strategic decision to rebrand AXN Beyond because we wanted to build a mainstream Englishentertainment channel that appeals to a wider audience. One that can be a complementary and companion channel to AXN and allowing us to offer a more complete portfolio of English entertainment channels. beTV thus offers easy viewing and engaging entertainment, a place for viewers to chill and unwind much like their favourite hang-out café or hang-out joint.

    Q. Are you launching this channel in India or are you waiting for digitisation to take concrete shape?
    We are always looking for opportunity to launch these brands in India and it is not appropriate for me to talk about this yet.

    Q. How is SPT Networks Asia leveraging HD and 3D and how do you see them enhancing the TV viewing experience?
    AXN is already available in HD in every market except Taiwan and India. Eventually we will be shifting our service to HD for these two important markets as well.

     

    Our distribution in India is much wider than the top 10 key cities, so the plan to roll out HD is a massive effort for us. In the US, Sony Corporation together with Discovery Communications and Imax Corporation has launched the world’s first and only 3D channel – 3net.

     

    For us, the key for launching HD and 3D is finding the right timing and formula that works for us.

    Q. Has the pay TV business across Asia been hit by the slowdown or are consumers still willing to pay a good price if they see value?
    From our experience, we have found that the consumer is actually more willing to pay for pay TV services in challenging times. It offers affordable entertainment at home for the whole family instead of spending a lot more money when a family goes outside the home for entertainment.

     

    We have also continued to see growth in our advertising business as pay TV is one of the more cost effective advertising mediums for marketers. AXN not only provides a quality environment that enhances advertisers’ brand image but also appeals to and reaches a very desired audience – the SEC A and SEC AB. Our audience is less affected by the economic crisis and continues to have considerable spending power, which is why it is important for marketers to continue investing with us.

    Q. In the US, new media is seeing people spending more time watching shows online rather than on the TV channels. Is this a challenge you are starting to face in India and Asia?
    While we are seeing an increase of online viewing, both illegal and legal, we also expect to see an increase in both time spent viewing and reach of pay TV as pay TV penetration continues to grow in many markets across Asia including India.

     

    The good news for advertisers is that pay TV, in spite of the wide choice available, is still less fragmented than the Internet and offers a well targeted, distinct brand environment for marketers to select. Pay TV brands command loyalty amongst viewer who have been relying on pay TV brands for the past 15 to 20 years and we believe they will continue to do so especially as shared family