ITV

Tag: Infotech

  • Mediaware Infotech launches TV deals management software

    MUMBAI: Mediaware Infotech, the Mumbai India based IT solutions provider for the advertising and media industry has just announced their Television Deal Management Module.
    At present, television buys are based on bulk commitments from media buyers. Commitments may be for a financial year or for a month. At times these are based on a property like Kaun Banega Crorepati or Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and sometimes for a channel.
     
     
    The releases follow the deals and include paid seconds, free commercial seconds (FCT), bonus seconds – all of which need to be monitored and managed.
     
     
    Mediaware’s TV Deals Management Module helps every media buyer to record his deal details as it is designed to store crucial key data pertaining to each TV deal. Deals also get modified, aborted or terminated.

    Every subsequent TV release could be linked to the appropriate TV Deal, yielding Deal Monitoring reports like Commitment v/s Consumption, summary and details of each deal, umbrella deals, incentives, etc. All these complexities are built into Mediaware Infotech solution.

    “This year we have decided to develop the Middle East for business growth. Of course, our prime market is and will remain India – no question about that. In addition, we are looking at neighbouring countries too,” says Mediaware Infotech vice president operations Deepak Chheda.

    Mediaware Infotech Pvt Ltd specialises in IT solutions for the advertising and media industry. With over 500 installations in India and the Middle East, Mediaware offers solutions for ad agencies, media buyers, corporate advertisers, radio and TV channels, publications, outdoor agencies.

    Mediaware also offers innovative solutions for integrating applications between agency, media buyer and advertiser, media owner using latest concepts and tools like e-documents (XML), client – web-server, instant messengers, etc.

  • A spectrum policy soon, says telecom minister Maran

    A spectrum policy soon, says telecom minister Maran

    NEW DELHI: Infotech and communications minister Dayanidhi Maran today made a strong pitch for India as an attractive destination for investments by saying the government has rolled out several initiatives in this regard and the country offers a huge market for communications-related services.

    “It is my dream that the state-of-the-art-technology in telecom and broadband must percolate down to the individuals living in far-flung rural areas of the country, ” Maran said , while speaking on the theme “Mobile Communication as Driver for Social Development and Economic Growth” at the 3rd GSM World Congress at Cannes in France.

    Inviting investors to look at India for establishing their units in India to make it a hub not only for domestic supplies but also for servicing other countries of the region, Maran said though India has allowed 100 per cent FDI in the manufacturing sector, it is has not lead to expected growth.

    To surpass the target of providing 250 million telephone connections over the next three years, the country has to reduce dependence on imports. He assured the international community that India’s fiscal , taxation , trade policies will be in tune with the expectations of the telecom manufacturers to achieve the objectives.

    Speaking about the progress made by India in communications sector, Maran said the country has been keeping in pace with the fast-changing technologies and today ranks among the top 10 telecom networks in the world and the second largest in Asia.

    “We have more than 90 million telephone subscribers with a tele-density of around 8.62 per cent. A target of providing 250 million telephone connections by the year 2007 has been set. A target of 3 million broadband subscribers and 6 million Internet subscribers is planned to be achieved by December 2005,” he said reeling out numbers that could zap foreign investors looking at Asian markets.

    Pointing out that foreign direct investment (FDI) in this sector has been encouraging with more than $ 2 billion already invested in the sector, Maran highlighted that the government has taken a decision to raise the FDI ceiling from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in the telecom sector

    The global community was assured that India will soon come out with a spectrum policy, which will be technology-neutral, in tune with the established policy and international practices.

    Maran said, “We in India do not commit ourselves to any single technology. Our policy is technology neutral. But it does not mean that we embrace inefficient or discarded technologies.”

    He further said, “We are also committed to ensure that paucity of spectrum does not throttle the growth of the telecom industry. We therefore foresee participative growth of all players as well as technologies. A telecom team is already looking into issues relating to spectrum.”

    Likewise, India is looking forward to introduce 3G services and watching the developments elsewhere keenly.

  • B’cast bill out; convergence in?

    B’cast bill out; convergence in?

    NEW DELHI: The ambivalence of the government continues over legislation relating to various broadcast issues. After having professed the need for a broadcast bill, the information and broadcasting ministry, which had been previously reticent to a convergent regime, is doing a rethink.

    Ministry sources said that though I&B minister Jaipal Reddy is unlikely to be hurried into taking decisions, he is “warming up” to the idea of reviving the Convergence Communication Bill, which lapsed with the change in political guard in Delhi.

    “The minister is increasingly warming up to the idea that instead of bringing in a broadcasting bill, the convergence bill should be re-worked and put up as a proposed piece of legislation in association with the IT and telecom ministry,” an official in the I&B ministry said.

    The I&B ministry under Sushma Swaraj and then Ravi Shankar Prasad, during the previous government’s regime, had not been in favour of an omnibus convergence legislation encompassing the sectors of infotech, telecommunication and broadcasting. It had resisted any move by the then telecom ministry to sort out issues pointed out by a parliamentary panel that had studied the Convergence Communication Bill and suggested over 70 amendments.

    Since reworking the Convergence Bill is likely to take more time because various turfs have to be protected, an independent regulatory body for the broadcast sector may come about in the near future with the help of an executive order, the government official pointed out, adding that the I&B ministry, in the interim, would continue to have the final word on regulating content on TV and radio channels and on other platforms.

    But one thing seems to be sure: Reddy is angling to end Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)’s jurisdiction over cable and broadcast sectors — a responsibility that was thrust on Trai just before last parliamentary elections earlier this year owing to political reasons.

    Meanwhile, work on downlinking laws too is continuing and indications from the I&B ministry are that a Cabinet note is likely to be prepared on the issue after the present session of Parliament comes to an end, which, because of Opposition boycotts of proceedings and other turmoil, happens to be today.

    “The basic structure for a proposed downlinking law is complete and once the go-ahead comes through, a Cabinet note would be prepared for its consideration,” the ministry official said, however, adding that this too may take some time.

    As part of the downlinking law, the government proposes to have a section listing out events of national importance whose telecast rights have to be given to the terrestrial broadcaster, Doordarshan, on a mandatory basis irrespective of the fact who has exclusive rights for those events.

    There would also be an arbitration clause for disputes, which has to take place at least two months before an event happens.

    Now comes the big question: if the regulatory framework, aided by instigated and even non-instigated cases on various broadcasting issues (like the DTH and porn factor), is unlikely to settle down before end-2004, what would happen to newer technologies and newer players seeking to enter India or expand their existing businesses? What would happen to Tata-Star’s quest for a DTH licence hanging fire at the I&B ministry?

    Take a cue from what Reddy informed Parliament earlier this week when quizzed on various issues, including DTH and Tata-Star’s venture: no time frame can be given for processing of such issues.

  • Manipal Group plans major expansion drive – to invest Rs 3 billion in various activities

    Manipal Group plans major expansion drive – to invest Rs 3 billion in various activities

    Karnataka based Manipal Group, which is worth Rs 20 billion, is planning a major expansion drive and is looking at an IPO worth Rs 3 billion to fund its expansion activities. The company is expected to come out with the IPO by June this year.

    Half of the amount raised by IPO will go towards funding its media ventures while rest will be for housing and infotech.

    The group plans to launch a 24-hour Kannada entertainment channel in the next six months. The channel will be called ‘Tarang TV’. An educational channel and a regional news channel are also in the offing in a year’s time. Tarang TV will have 12 hours of original programming. The channel is also looking at foreign partners to provide content for the kid’s slot which will be aired on it. The channel will be beamed off AsiaSat-3. An animation studio will also be set up in Banglore.

    Apart from this the Manipal Group is also looking at introducing new women’s magazine. The magazine is expected to be launched within 3 months time.

    Manipal Group will also be making its foray into the Internet with a women’s portal called shesindia.com. The site, which will be launched in 45 days, will generate revenues from advertising, sponsorships and ecommerce.

  • Chaniya-choli for the world – B4U to be India’s fashion window to the world

    Chaniya-choli for the world – B4U to be India’s fashion window to the world

    Finally Indian fashion will have a showcase to the world. B4U, the channel which carried Indian cinema to the global audience is all set to do the same with India Fashion.

    B4U, the distributors of Fashion TV, or FTV as it is popularly known has tied up with the channel and will broadcast Indian Fashion shows throughout the world. This means that a whole new world for people from the Indian fashion industry who have been largely restricted to local markets.

    The channel will also be involved in local level promotions like showing Indian fashion shows in theaters, promoting new faces and organising fashion shows and contests. For the purpose of fashion contests, B4U has tied up one of the leading model agencies of the world, Metropolitan.

    Apart from the fashion channel, B4U will also start its music channel that is expected to compete with MTV and Channel V. B4U is also doing its bit to popularise Indian music. B4U has an arrangement with the international music channel MCM, wherein MCM will air one hour of exclusive Indian music.

    The channel will also make foray into internet with its fashion channel. B4Ufashion.com is under construction and once it is completed it will be linked to FTV.fr. Ravi Nair would heads thec team of the channel. The site would have both B2B and B2C sections.

  • SEBI GIVES GREEN SIGNAL TO MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES: EASES IPO NORMS

    SEBI GIVES GREEN SIGNAL TO MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES: EASES IPO NORMS

    The Securuties and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has finally given the much awaited green signal to media, entertainment and telecom companies who had been demanding since a long time the 10 per cent Initial Public Offering (IPO) norm which was earlier enjoyed only by Infotech companies.

    The board meeting held by Sebi decided on allowing knowledge based companies in the media, entertainment and telecom sector to offer a minimum 10 per cent shares to the public through IPOs. Earlier to this, the norm was a minimum 25 per cent IPO.

    One condition, however, is added which says that minimum 2 million shares should be issued and the size of the public offering should be atleast Rs 500 million. This norm is to ensure enough floating stock in the market. Also 75 per cent revenues and profit of such companies should come from one of media, entertainment or telecom businessess.

  • INDIA GETS ITS FIRST TECH TV CHANNEL – TMG ENTER

    INDIA GETS ITS FIRST TECH TV CHANNEL – TMG ENTER

    The Bangalore based Technology Media Group Ltd (TMG) has launched a 24 hour technology channel “TMG Enter”. The free-to-air channel is uplinked from India and is beamed from Intelsat 703 on the analog mode. The channel has got its birth from an infotech programme “Infotrek” on DD Metro.

    TMG aims at creating a world-class knowledge repository on technology to redefine the way it is delivered. It also aims to provide services in languages other than English and emerge as a leader in the South-East Asian market.

    It also has launched a magazine “CIO” and an Infotech portal www.indiaitonline.com. The company is under the process of recruiting managerial and technical staff for the television channel, magazine and portal.

    The channel, being the first of its kind, is expected to perform well in India due the IT boom and the quality programming it owns.

  • GoM to discuss telecom, broadcasting and infotech issues on Thursday

    NEW DELHI: A Group of Ministers (GoM) on telecom, set up to study various issues related to the industry and allied fields, is slated to meet tomorrow.
    It is expected that the high-powered government panel may discuss the issue of convergence and a proposed over-arching regulator for telecom, broadcasting 
    and infotech.
    Though the information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is out of Delhi today, he is expected to be back tomorrow (25 September) to attend the GoM meet.
    The GoM is likely to take up the issue of Convergence Communications Bill 2001 (CCB), which is pending Parliament’s okay to be enacted into a law. But a parliamentary panel has suggested over 70 amendments in the bill, on the lines of a law enacted by Malaysia.
    The bill seeks to have a super regulator for the three mentioned sectors of the industry, under Communications Commission of India.
    Of late, there has been a demand from a section of the industry that without waiting for the CCB to be passed by Parliament, a regulator should be set up for the broadcasting sector, considering the various issues that keep cropping up these days.
    Prasad is of the view that the broadcast industry needs a regulator, but has not given any time frame for such an entity to come into force.
    It needs to be seen how Prasad articulates the industry’s viewpoint to other heavyweights of the GoM, that includes the ministers of telecom and IT, finance, home and defence.
    PRASAD TO MET FM ON DD NEWS
    Meanwhile, Prasad is also scheduled to meet up with finance minister Jaswant Singh tomorrow on the issue of Doordarshan News channel that is being proposed to be re-launched with additional government dole of Rs 1,320 
    million per annum.
    The finance ministry mandarins have objected to a proposal for funding prepared by the Prasar Bharati, pointing out that any serious proposal for a channel should also have revenue projections that is missing in the case of 
    DD News.

  • InfoComm Asia 2003 takes place in October

    InfoComm Asia 2003 takes place in October

    MUMBAI: As a major player in the world of infotech, India is a ‘happening’ market for audiovisual presentation solutions. InfoComm Asia 2003, the premier show for the audio-visuals industry takes place in Singapore in October.

    The event is sponsored by the International Communications Industry Association. The event should interest Indian entrepreneurs from different fields. They will get to see products from 100 companies including Canon, Christie Digital, Jupiter, Hitachi, NBC, Pioneer, The Screenworks, Vega.

    A press release says that there will be wireless and network projectors on the showfloor. They include a 10000 ANSI Lumens large format projector. Other projectors on view will have inflatable outdoor screens, very thin video cubes, portable visualisers, jackpot machine plasma display, LCD name tags.

    InfoComm Asia’s MD Nat Wong was quoted in an official release saying:” The audiovisual industry is rapidly growing in India. A surge in demand for audiovisual and AV related products and services is evident as the country develops and modernises. The exhibition is an excellent platform for manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, professionals and users to explore business opportunities and innovative technologies and network in the regional area.”

    The release adds that for the first time a conference will also be held alongside the exhibition. “Leveraging Rich Media Content: Strategic Implementation of AV Communications for Your Organisation” will see technology futurist Elliott Masie address the gathering. He will speak on ten technologies that are expected to change the world we live in.

    There will also be an extensive educational programme, which includes the annual Asian Institute for Professional Development. The release adds that 16 workshops will be conducted.

  • The latest on the Fali Nariman Convergence Bill

    The latest on the Fali Nariman Convergence Bill

    The government is likely to take a positive view on the recommendations of the Fali Nariman committee on convergence. Thus spoke communications minister Ram Vilas Paswan at a seminar on convergence organised by Assocham.

    The committee has recommended that a super regulator be created which will supercede the powers of the Telecoms Regulatory Authority. The super regulator will oversee the infotech, communications and information and broadcasting sectors. It will be responsible for regulating and monitoring both carriage and content.

    Telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh said that licensing powers will be with the super regulator, with even spectrum management issues being under its wing in consultation with the Wirless advisor.