ITV

Tag: India

  • BBC Worldwide strengthens south Asian sales team

    BBC Worldwide strengthens south Asian sales team

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has promoted Sunil Joshi to head of distribution for BBC Global News in south Asia, and appointed Stanley Fernandes as sales director for south Asia.

     

    Joshi was elevated from his prior role of heading up distribution for the north and western India. In his new role, he will oversee the distribution sales of BBC Global News’ content, including television, online and mobile productions.

     

    Both will be based in Mumbai and report to Myleeta Aga, SVP and general manager for India and content head for Asia.

     

    Joshi will partner with Sirsendu Chakravarty, who handles the eastern region; Hemang Pathak, who handles the west; Sethuraman Sathyanarayanan, for the southern region as well as digital; and Sandra Fernandes, for corporate.

     

    In Fernandes’ new role, he will build and lead BBC Worldwide’s television content sales to linear channels and digital platforms in India and the subcontinent. Previously, he was the senior manager at Disney Media Distribution.

     

    “Sunil has a great depth of relationships in the distribution network and wealth of insights that will help contribute to our next phase of growth in south Asia,” said Aga. “Stanley has joined us at a very important time as we move into the new regional structure with strong market focus.”

  • Indian short on Tarapur power plant gets Yellow Oscar

    Indian short on Tarapur power plant gets Yellow Oscar

    NEW DELHI: The documentary ‘High Power’ by Pradeep Indulkar on the Tarapur power plant in Maharashtra received the Best Short Documentary award at the 3rd International Uranium Film Festival of Rio Janeiro 2013 in the cinema of the Modern Art Museum (MAM) recently.

    Six Films from six countries – Russia, India, USA, Estonia, Jordan and Germany – were honored with the Uranium Film Festival‘s trophy, the Yellow Oscar.

    The festival screened 52 documentaries and fiction movies from 19 countries.

    The 2013 finalised documentary "High Power" gives worthwhile impulses to current "nuclear question" in India.

    Pradeep Indulkar, director of "High Power", is an Indian engineer who has been working during 12 years for India‘s nuclear programme.

    High Power tells the disturbing story of the local population of Tarapur in the state of Maharashtra, where India‘s first nuclear power plant was constructed in the 1960s. Local fishermen families lost their land, their fishing grounds and health.

    "It is an important, nuclear discussion stimulating documentary, that comes at the right time, when thousands of people in South-India struggle against a new nuclear power plant at Kudankulam is the state of Tamil Nadu", says Festival director Norbert G Suchanek. "High Power is Pradeep Indulkar‘s first documentary, and we hope to see more documentaries by him in future."

    "Apart from all the sorrows and distress my film brought to you, this is a golden moment of my life as a filmmaker", said Indulkar during the Award Ceremony in the Museum of Modern Art cinema. "At this moment I remember and thank all my friends and well-wisher who helped in making of High Power. I also thank to all those Indian people who contributed even a smallest amount to make our trip happened. I thank you all who supported this film with as a great audience. I thank Rio, I thank Brazil and I accept this award on behalf of all the nuclear affected people of Tarapur and I dedicate this award to all those farmers and fishermen who lost their land, home and life for nuclear power plant."

  • India, special guest country in 2013

    India, special guest country in 2013

    The Festival de Cannes has chosen Goa to announce it is to welcome a large delegation from the Indian film industry to Cannes to celebrate the one hundred years since the birth of cinema in India.

    The 43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and Film Bazaar 2012, taking place in Goa until November 30th 2012 with the support of the Indian Ministry of Culture, present the ideal moment to announce that India, in 2013, is to be the third 'guest country' at Cannes, following Egypt in 2011 and Brazil this year.

    The Festival de Cannes is delighted to celebrate one of the most important countries in the world of cinema, a country with a prestigious history and tradition, one whose current day and creative impulses are a perennial example of vitality.

    Exact details of the celebrations will be announced at a later date.

    The Festival de Cannes will be taking place from May 15th to 26th, 2013.

  • New Adventure travel series ‘Freedom Riders Asia’, Celebrating man and motorcycle on the move, debuts on ESPN India on 19 may

    New Adventure travel series ‘Freedom Riders Asia’, Celebrating man and motorcycle on the move, debuts on ESPN India on 19 may

    MUMBAI: Well-known motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman rides onto screens in Asia with the debut of Freedom Riders Asia, a six-part adventure travel series celebrating man and motorcycle on the move across six Asian countries. A premiere screening held today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, showcased the first episode of the series that was shot in Malaysia, which will be aired on Sunday 19 May 2013 on ESPN India at 2100 HKT.

    Conceptualised and developed by FOX One Stop Media, the integrated sales arm of FOX International Channels (FIC), News Corporation’s international multi-media business, in close collaboration with global lubricants brand Shell Advance Motorcycle Oil, Freedom Riders Asia sees Charley Boorman, one of the world’s most renowned and recognised bikers, embark on a journey to explore the colourful biking landscapes of Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

    From picking tea leaves on the hillside plantations of India, to surfing the legendary waves of Bali’s black sand beaches, Charley meets local biking communities and incredible personalities along the way who show him the delights of each city and the way of life from the back of a motorcycle. In each episode, Charley immerses himself in each country’s unique biking culture, quite often with surprising results.

    In the debut Malaysia episode, viewers will get to see Charley learn the important role the motorcycle plays for many individuals in their daily lives along with taking on a challenge with a well-known local biking personality that will see him fighting for his very reputation!

    Kar-Tai Koh, Shell Advance Global Brand Manager, said: “After six months of hard work and a truly collaborative effort, I am extremely proud of the outcome of Freedom Riders Asia. We really wanted the series to be about celebrating and connecting bikers around Asia; and who better to help us achieve this than Charley Boorman? This is part of Shell Advance’s efforts to empower bikers to experience more freedom on the road in their day-to-day lives and enjoy every ride. I would like to thank FOX for this great working opportunity, our featured local guests as well as all relevant parties involved in making this show possible.”

    Simeon Dawes, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales and Partnerships, Asia Pacific & The Middle East, FOX One Stop Media said, “One of the objectives of this unique programme is to showcase the diversity of Asia through its different motorcycling cultures, and I believe Freedom Riders Asia has done exactly that, while shedding light on how integral the motorcycle is to the daily lives of so many. This truly has been an exciting collaboration with Shell Advance, and I hope that audiences across Asia will enjoy watching this series as much as we had in making it!”

    He continued, “FOX SPORTS is committed to bringing motor sports fans across Asia the most comprehensive line-up of premier action from around the globe and the region with the live coverage of events such as MotoGP and Superbike World Championships. Freedom Riders Asia is another such initiative that provides fans a unique dimension about motor sports from beyond the motorcycle racing scene.”

    Charley Boorman said: “What I loved most about the Freedom Riders Asia experience was the opportunity to meet locals with larger-than-life characters and ride with passionate bikers in a completely different part of the world. This is indeed a bike trip of a lifetime that I will always remember. The first episode is as exciting as the next, and I hope that the audience in Asia will stay close and enjoy the series as they experience Asia with me!”

    The airing schedule* is as follows:

    Episodes
    Date
    ESPN India
    Ep 1    Malaysia    19 May    16:00
    Ep 2    Philippines    25 May    16:00
    Ep 3    Indonesia    2 June    16:00
    Ep 4    India    9 June    16:00
    Ep 5    Vietnam    16 June    16:00
    Ep 6    Thailand    23 June    16:00
    *Note that there will be three repeats for each episode. Refer to http://tv.foxsportsasia.com/ for repeat schedule.

    Keeping in mind fans desire to deep dive into their favorite sports, a special digital initiative in form of the Shell Advance YouTube page (http://www.youtube.com/user/shelladvance) has been set up where fans can catch exclusive content such as very interesting behind the scenes clips as well as catch up on any missed episodes.

    To reach out to a larger audience base across different demographics and genres, Freedom Riders Asia is being promoted extensively across Fox International Channels Asia’s family of channels such as FOX, National Geographic and FX

  • Zee Learn raises $20 million through GDRs

    Zee Learn raises $20 million through GDRs

     MUMBAI: It’s gone the global depository receipts (GDR) route. On 21 May, Essel Group education company Zee Learn Ltd, informed the stock exchanges that it had has raised $20 million (Rs 110 crore) through GDRs,

     

    The company said the GDR issue was fully subscribed and an allotment of 5.6 million GDRs at a price of $3.56 per GDR is to be made. Each GDR represents 10 underlying equity shares and the GDRs are to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

     

    Zee Learn runs India’s largest chain of pre-schools under brand Kidzee with more than 900 centres in more than 330 cities. It also acts as a consultant to local entrepreneurs who wish to set up K-12 schools, under its brand name Mount Litera Zee Schools. It operates vocational education under Zee Institute of Media Arts (ZIMA) – a TV and film training institute and Zee Institute of Creative Art (ZICA) – a classical and digital animation training academy.

     

  • Fox Star Studios’ Epic gets 5th biggest animation film opening in India

    Fox Star Studios’ Epic gets 5th biggest animation film opening in India

    NEW DELHI: ‘EPIC‘ has garnered the fifth biggest animation opening for India for Fox Star, who earlier saw a tremendous run of their prehistoric fun family film ‘The Croods‘.

    Released in India a week ahead of its international release, Epic has opened to Rs 3.6 crore gross box office in India (Rs 2.52 crore net) despite a crowded box office with simultaneous releases of high profile Hollywood releases such Amitabh Bachchan‘s ‘The Great Gatsby‘ and Mira Nair‘s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist‘ whose figures are far behind those of Epic.

    This is the 5th biggest animation opening in India after Ice Age 4, Kung Fu Panda 2, Madagascar 3 and The Croods. Boosted by critical and popular acclaim, the stunning 3D comedy-fantasy adventure has triggered a phenomenal word of mouth for its family content and visual banquet.

    Fox Star Studios CEO Vijay Singh said: "We are delighted with the fantastic weekend opening for Epic following the superb success of ‘The Croods’. With imaginative storytelling and an emotional appeal, it is the perfect feel-good holiday film for the entire family."

    Epic stars the voices of Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Pitbull with Steven Tyler and Beyoncé Knowles.

  • eBay India announces Latif Nathani as managing director

    eBay India announces Latif Nathani as managing director

    MUMBAI: eBay India today announced a shift in leadership. Latif Nathani, a senior executive in the technology space in both India and the US will join eBay India as managing director.

    Nathani is taking over from Muralikrishnan B, who will be completing his responsibilities by the end of the quarter and then will be looking at exploring entrepreneurial opportunities.

    Nathani said, "I am excited about leading the thriving eBay India business, a market leader in India, that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs make a livelihood as well as provide vast selection and great deals to millions of consumers. The marketplaces business model fascinates me and I look forward to steering the talented India team to even greater heights."

    Nathani has 22 years of experience including a 15 year career at Microsoft and Symantec and most recently served as CEO of product strategy consulting firm. He has extensive expertise in building and leading high performance global business, engineering and marketing teams. He also led a consumer incubator for Microsoft India (including equity investments in mobile payments), headed global product marketing for Symantec‘s Norton business and was cofounder of eMemories.com.
     
    Muralikrishan said, "It has been my proud privilege to lead the India team and business through two of the most exciting years the industry has seen. We have set new benchmarks improving the customer experience along with building a stronger brand and reputation among government, industry, entrepreneurs and consumers."

  • Google+ Social sign in now live on Speakingtree.in

    Google+ Social sign in now live on Speakingtree.in

    MUMBAI: Times Internet and Google have announced the implementation of Google+ Social sign on its spiritual network – Speakingtree.in

    The integration not only simplifies the sign-in process but also maximises interactions and sharing of content among the spiritually inclined on the portal. Signing in through Google allows users to seamlessly share content including articles, tips on meditation, spiritual blogs, forums and conversations thus eliminating the need to create a new username and password. The implementation also enables a one click install of the Android application thus maximising consumption of articles on the move, the company said in a statement.

    The integration has been demoed at the Google I/O this year and is the only representation from the social space in India.

    Times Internet vice president Archana Vohra said, "Google Social Sign helps make sign in more convenient and allows our engaged users to easily access, discover and share exclusive content. The over the air Android install extends our brand engagement across devices."

    "We had an extremely fast turnaround on the integration of Google social sign in on Speakingtree.in. We look forward to connecting readers on Speakingtree.in and creating even more engaging experiences for them across both Speaking tree and Google," Google strategic partner manager Matt Gaskell said.

  • Rediff.com introduces new redesigned website

    Rediff.com introduces new redesigned website

    MUMBAI: Rediff.com has launched the new version of its website featuring a new and enhanced homepage sporting a tiled interface.

    The new Rediff homepage brings alive an assortment of content and services using the contemporary grid layout that is visually rich. Each unit of the grid features the latest information photographs and videos, giving it a more interactive and image-friendly appearance.

    Featuring thirty headlines, the new homepage offers a wide range of relevant news items from across sections like news and politics, business, movies, get ahead, cricket and sports.

    Additionally, its e-commerce platform gets a boost with a large footprint on the homepage to capitalise on the growing usage of e-commerce platforms throughout India.

    The new design is based on user feedback and provides a seamless experience on personal computers and laptops as well as touchscreen handheld devices like tablets and smartphones.

    Rediff.com chairman and CEO Ajit Balakrishnan said, “The Indian internet user base is quickly moving to consuming our services on various types of mobile devices, whether at home or on the go. As a result, this transition required us to take a fresh and innovative view of how our users are likely to interact with our portal. Our new tiled interface is a step towards making it easy for a rapidly growing segment of users who access our website from tablet like touchscreen devices.”

    “We have also redesigned the site in terms of providing users with the content and imagery they desire on our home page, while adding more e-commerce options, which have been in higher demand from this growing population. We believe, the steps we‘ve taken will enhance the overall user experience and over time, contribute to a growing Rediff user base and more widespread adoption of the Rediff brand,” Balakrishnan added.

  • Iron Man 3 to get the widest ever 3D release in India

    Iron Man 3 to get the widest ever 3D release in India

    MUMBAI: UTV Motion Pictures, the distributor of ‘Iron Man 3‘ will be releasing the film in 450 digital screens which is the highest for any Hollywood release in India till date.

    Last year, Marvel‘s ‘The Avengers‘ was released in 250 while ‘Life of Pi‘ was released in 350 digital theatres respectively. UTV will also taking the film to almost 350-400 single screens which is again a record of sorts as the normal range for any blockbuster Hollywood movies is 200-250 screens.

    Disney UTV director – India theatrical distribution, studios Gaurav Verma said, "Iron Man is one of the biggest franchises and after the super success of The Avengers in India last year, there has been a huge demand for Iron Man 3. It is clearly one of the most awaited Hollywood releases of the year. We are releasing the film in more than 1000 screens across all 4 languages in Imax, 3D and 2D formats. While the response has been phenomenal across multiplexes even our single screens partners are very excited to showcase Iron Man 3."

    Hollywood has emerged an increasingly significant component of the Indian theatrical box office in the past few years. In the last year itself, key Hollywood releases have reached out to as many as 1000 screens and are also being marketed more and more aggressively. In addition to this 3D screens have also witnessed substantial increase over the last few years which can be attributed to the growing fan base for this medium in the country.