ITV

Tag: international networks

  • Andy Kaplan is SPTI international networks president; John McMahon heads Europe

    MUMBAI: In response to the growing demands of its distribution, networks and local language production businesses, Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has announced two senior level promotions to help lead its continued global expansion.
     
     

    Andy Kaplan has been promoted to president, International Networks, and John McMahon has been promoted to president and MD, Europe. The announcement was made by SPTI president Michael Grindon to whom both report, states an official release.

    SPTI is the division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) responsible for all television businesses outside of the United States and is the leading major Hollywood studio in local language production.
     
     

    “Sony Pictures Television International is an extremely profitable part of Sony Pictures Entertainment and these promotions are in recognition of the extraordinary accomplishments of these two individuals,” Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Michael Lynton.

    “Under Andy Kaplan, our International Networks Group has successfully launched new channels in Asia, Europe and Latin America,” said Grindon. “His smart, strategic decisions have led to not only new channel launches, but also to expanding distribution, increased ratings and steadily growing advertising revenues.”

    “John McMahon has expertly managed our growing television businesses in Europe, our most important international region,” Grindon continued. “He has assembled a talented executive team that continues to deliver steady growth across all of our businesses. John’s leadership skills and ability to coordinate and support complex operations across numerous territories is a terrific asset for Sony Pictures Television International.”

    Based at SPTI’s headquarters in Culver City, California, Kaplan is responsible for all cable and satellite television networks and investments, which now number more than 40 channels throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. In close coordination with SPTI’s regional managing directors for Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America, as well as senior management of Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, Kaplan oversees AXN, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) branded networks, and Animax, the first 24-hour network dedicated to popular Japanese anime. Kaplan also manages SPTI’s relationships with all international partner channel ventures, such as HBO in Asia, Central Europe and Latin America; and Showtime and Encore in Australia.

  • Ross Hair is SPTI senior VP intl networks

    Ross Hair is SPTI senior VP intl networks

    MUMBAI: Ross Hair, who currently serves as Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) VP, has been elevated to the senior VP position.

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the position became vacant after incumbent Darren Childs quit to join BBC Worldwide to oversee its global channels business.

    Hair will continue to be based in SPTIs European headquarters in London, and will report to SPTI senior executive VP international networks Andy Kaplan and senior executive VP and MD Europe John McMahon. He will oversee the management of all SPTI’s networks efforts in EMEA, including AXNs channels in Europe and the Middle East, and SPTIs investment in HBO in Central Europe.

    Kaplan said, “Since joining SPTI in 2001, Ross has been instrumental in the launches of several AXN channels in Europe, including those of AXN in Central Europe and Germany. As we continue to expand our operations in Europe, we are thrilled to have Ross lead the team.”

    Hair joined SPTI from ESPN Star Sports (ESS), where he was director of strategic planning. Before that he was head of commercial affairs at Nickelodeon UK.

  • SportsCenter launches in English for S-E Asia, Mandarin for China

    SportsCenter launches in English for S-E Asia, Mandarin for China

    ESPN Star Sports yesterday introduced an Asian version of the popular sports news show Sportscenter.

     

    SportsCenter will be Asia’s first live half-hour sports news programme which will provide millions of television viewers with a crisp and incisive update of the latest happenings from international and regional sporting events, a company release states.

     

    SportsCenter will be broadcast in English to viewers in Southeast Asia via ESPN Asia. A Mandarin language version will be broadcast on ESPN China, covering North Asia (China and Chinese Taipei).

     

    ESS introduced a Hindi version of SportsCenter to viewers in India in April this year. Since its inception four months ago, SportsCenter Hindi has attracted 24 per cent of the cable viewing population, the release says.

     

    Launched in 1979 in the US, SportsCenter is so popular that it is watched by more than 11 million people daily. Currently SportsCenter (International version) is watched by more than 150 million households outside the US on 20 international networks, the release says.

     

    The Asian version will be following the US programme’s original format of news, feature stories, analysis, clippings and guest commentators. ESS’ managing director Rik Dovey said: “SportsCenter is a habit for millions of diehard sports fans across the world. With the introduction of a SportsCenter tailored to the viewing habits and tastes of our Asian audience, we will create millions more fans for this landmark show.”

     

    He also stated that that this initiative was a big step for the company as developing such a comprehensive news bureau was a major investment. The resources required to put out live news are considerable. And doing so in multiple languages only intensifies the effort required. In fact, with the introduction of the English and Mandarin services to Asia, ESPN STAR Sports has tripled its output of live sports news programming.

     

    He further went on to explain that: “ESPN Star Sports has set itself the target of being Asia’s complete sports provider and the benchmark by which all other networks measure themselves. To achieve this ESPN must continue to innovate and to provide viewers with what they want to watch, when they want to watch it, and in a format that is relevant to them.”

     

    SportsCenter will be aired daily from Monday to Friday. Bulletins will be telecast Live at 8 PM with a repeat at around 11:30 PM, then at 2:30 am , with one more repeat thereafter.

     

    ESS’own 60,000 sq. ft production facility in Singapore will be producing SportsCenter. It will include sports news clippings from ESPN SportsCenter, SNTV (Sports News Television), – a leading provider of sports news clippings – and Sky Sports. SportsCenter will also include cricket clippings from ESS’ portfolio of sporting rights – including the English Premier League, Formula One and the major tennis and golf events throughout the year.

     

    For each live program broadcast of SportsCenter, ESS utilises a team of 40 veteran news and sports producers, presenters, technical/production assistants, editors and reporting crewreporters. The news team brings to Asia a wealth of knowledge and experience from the international and regional sports television scene sourced from all over the world, including ESPN’s SportsCenter, TWI, BBC, ITV, New Delhi Television, Hong Kong’s TVB, Australia’s Channel 9 Network, TV South Africa and Australian Broadcasting Corporation.