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Tag: IMG Media

  • Etihad Airways to telecast all FIFA matches live at 30,000 feet

    Etihad Airways to telecast all FIFA matches live at 30,000 feet

    NEW DELHI: The United Arab Emirates airline Etihad Airways is to be beam live every FIFA World Cup football match live on all of the air carrier’s long haul aircraft during the month long tournament.

     

    All 64 games will be transmitted live at 30,000 feet on the airline’s modern, wide-bodied fleet of planes by IMG Media using Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art interactive inflight entertainment system, E-box, powered by Panasonic technology.

     

    The E-box screens are installed in seats for every class of cabin – first, business and economy – so for flying football fans, no-one need miss a goal being scored. Etihad Airways chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner said, “The FIFA World Cup is the biggest and most exciting sporting event in the world and I’m delighted that all of our guests will be able to watch every match while they fly with us on their long-haul business or holiday flights.” 

     

    He added, “I hope that they sit back, relax and enjoy the great football action. Etihad Airways non-stop daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Sao Paulo have been in operation since June and there has been great demand from British, Dutch and Belgian expatriates living in the UAE capital and connecting markets because their national teams play matches in the Brazilian city in the next two weeks. Etihad Airways employs 49 of Brazilian nationals as cabin crew, many of whom will work on board flights between Abu Dhabi and Sao Paulo during the World Cup.”  

  • IMG Media hires former ESPN Star senior exec

    IMG Media hires former ESPN Star senior exec

    MUMBAI: From broadcasting to selling sports programming and event properties – that’s the path Former ESPN Star Sports business development & corporate communication (south Asia) director Rathindra Basu has taken. Recently, he hopped on IMG Media, which is amongst the world’s largest indpendent producers and distributors of sports programming, as vice-president and head of sales in the Indian sub-continent.

     

    In his role at IMG Media he will be looking after sports media content distribution and sales for the SAARC countries; covering all forms of media rights – including TV, audio, fixed media, in-flight and closed circuit, broadband and mobile. His responsibilities include developing key relationships with major sports broadcasters and other TV networks including the public broadcaster.

     

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com Basu says: “In my new role I will be looking at expanding our reach across the Indian subcontinent and reaching out to as many broadcasters for distribution and sales deals.”

     

    Basu will report to IMG Media Sr VP and head of sales Asia Pacific Chris Guinness, based in the London office and IMG Media Sr VP and head of sales Asia Pacific Leena Singarajah, based in Selangor, Malaysia.

    He will continue to be based out of New Delhi.

     

    IMG produces more than 21,000 hours of television and more than 30,000 hours of radio programming annually. It provides a seamless solution for both rights holders and broadcasters worldwide. Be it live or studio, in stadium or on the course, across the US or throughout South Africa, it claims to be a stop solution to handle all production needs.

     

    With over 200 clients and events, including Wimbledon, the Australian Open, the ATP Masters Series, the R&A (governing body and organiser of The Open Championship), International Rugby Board (IRB), MotoGP, the National Football League (NFL) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). IMG operates from over 30 offices worldwide and has daily exchanges with over 4,000 key media contacts. It also maintains the world’s largest sports archive with more than 250,000 hours of footage.

  • IMG acquires production firm Tiger Aspect

    IMG acquires production firm Tiger Aspect

    MUMBAI: IMG Media has announced that it will acquire the London based production firm Tiger Aspect Productions.

    The acquisition includes Tiger Aspect’s subsidiaries Tigress (adventure and wildlife producer), TTP (Washington DC-based US production company) and Tiger Aspect Pictures.

    IMG Media, a division of sports, entertainment and media firm IMG, will finance the acquisition entirely with capital from parent company IMG. The Tiger Aspect acquisition is part of IMG’s strategic growth plans.

    It will also enable IMG Media to become for the first time, a multi-genre market leader. IMG Media says that its subsidiaries TWI, the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports programming, and high-end factual specialists Darlow Smithson Productions (Touching the Void, I Shouldn’t Be Alive, Seconds From Disaster, The Falling Man), put it at the forefront of global high-end factual production.

    For Tiger Aspect, the agreement enhances its position as one of the top global multi-genre production companies, giving it access to new opportunities via a greater global presence, intellectual property within the group and new technologies.

    Tiger Aspect brings with it key strengths across a wide range of programming including animation and children’s, comedy, drama, entertainment, and a broad range of factual output. It also produces wildlife programmes (through Tigress) and has a movie unit which has produced hits ranging from Billy Elliot to Kevin and Perry Go Large.

    Key to the acquisition is Tiger Aspect’s reputation as a creative independent producer with a proven track record of producing hits across all genres, both within the UK and overseas. The company has a growing annual output of more than 220 hours and an annual turnover of more than 50 million pounds. In addition to its London HQ and Bristol office, it has an established production base on the east coast of America.

    Tiger Aspect’s programme portfolio includes comedies like The Catherine Tate Show, The Vicar of Dibley, Mr Bean. Currently in production are new series of BBC shows Charlie and Lola and detective drama Murphy’s Law. Tiger Aspect has also done factual series like The Monastery.

    IMG chairman and CEO Ted Forstmann said, “IMG today is in an exceptionally strong financial position. As a result of unprecedented internal growth, we are now able to make investments in any of the areas in which we do business. We already have a major presence in worldwide distribution, rights management, and New Media. The Tiger Aspect acquisition will immediately help us grow content production and distribution. We welcome Tiger Aspect and its people into the IMG global family.”

    IMG Media executive VP and COO Alastair Waddington said, “Tiger Aspect’s acquisition realises IMG Media’s long-held ambition to become a multi-genre producer, and we look forward to Tiger Aspect’s continued success and growth, while maintaining its distinctive identity as a producer of top quality programming.”

    Tiger Aspect founder and chairman Peter Bennett-Jones said, “This is a red letter day in the distinguished history of Tiger Aspect. We are immensely proud of our output and this deal will enhance our ability to make many more memorable programmes for broadcast in the UK and around the world through IMG’s extensive international structure. It will also open up new media opportunities and introduce new markets and creative relationships.”