ITV

Tag: Kaun Banega Crorepati 2

  • Star revenues to grow 15 % this fiscal: MPA

    Star revenues to grow 15 % this fiscal: MPA

    MUMBAI: The Star Group is expected to post a 15 per cent year on year revenue growth at $624 million for FY June 2007 with operating profit margins at 24.3 per cent or $151 million, according estimates by Hong Kong-based research firm Media Partners Asia (MPA).

    Star’s September quarter was relatively soft (historically soft for the broadcaster in Asia) with revenue up a modest 6 per cent Y/Y to $140 million (MPA estimate) and operating income up 8 per cent to $13 million.

    While subscription revenue grew by 6 per cent Y/Y, programming costs declined over the quarter. “This leverage, however, was offset by lower ad revenue at flagship STAR Plus in India, where the decrease in advertising reflected last year’s high base comparison when revenue grew 22 per cent Y/Y due to the successful broadcast of Kaun Banega Crorepati 2,” the MPA report said. Despite maintaining leadership position, Star’s ratings have softened with Zee TV posing a strong threat.

    Tata Sky, News Corp.’s 20:80 direct-to-home (DTH) joint venture with the Tatas, has acquired around 180,000 subscribers till October-end, after having launched its services in August. The company says it is on track to add a net one million subscribers per annum.

    “The early results have been encouraging,” the report quoted News Corp chief operating officer and president Peter Chernin as having said. “Any additions are sort of immediate additional subsribers for channels and the good news is that they are at least 100 per cent reporting, which is a nice positive phenomenon in India.”

    News Corp, parent company of Star, had a sluggish September quarter with operating income at $851 million, down 6 per cent Y/Y, with a strong performance at its cable network and newspaper businesses offset by softness at its TV, movie and digital satellite units. It saw also higher than expected costs at the company’s online properties. The company reported earnings of $0.27 per share, benefiting from a $261 million gain after the sale of Sky Brasil and $136 million from the sale of its 19.9 per cent stake in Chinese commercial broadcaster Phoenix Satellite TV, in which News Corp still holds a 17.6 per cent interest.

    The company, however, expects a strong full year in FY 07 with robust growth forecast for Star Group and aggressiv expansion of MySpace into multiple Asian markets, the MPA report said.

  • News Corp reports $843 million first quarter profit

    News Corp reports $843 million first quarter profit

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp reported a first-quarter profit of $843 million, versus last year’s loss of $433 million.

    Star’s first quarter operating income was slightly above a year ago as six per cent subscription revenue growth and a decline in programming costs were mostly offset by lower ad revenues at Star Plus. The decrease in ad revenues reflects last year’s contribution from Kaun Banega Crorepati 2.

    News Corp’s television segment reported first quarter operating income of $192 million, an increase of $32 million, or 20%, versus the same period a year ago primarily reflecting higher contributions from Fox partially offset by the launch of MyNetworkTV.

    At the Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC), first quarter operating results increased 65 per cent compared to a year ago as increased pricing drove higher advertising revenues. Additionally, lower primetime programming costs also contributed to the year on year growth.

    Fox Television Stations (FTS) first quarter operating income increased seven per cent as FTS garnered higher political advertising revenues while also increasing its market share on
    Fox prime-time ratings strength and the continued success of local news. Ad revenue growth was partially offset by costs associated with the further expansion of local newscasts and by development spending to redesign local station websites including the offer of Fox on Demand.

    The film segment reported first quarter operating income of $239 million as compared to $368 million reported in the same period a year ago. The year on year decline is primarily due to record first quarter results in fiscal 2006 which included strong syndication contributions from Twentieth Century Fox Television (TCFTV), as well as home entertainment contributions from Robots and Hide and Seek and the pay-tv availability of Alien vs. Predator and I, Robot.

    Current year first quarter film results were largely driven by the theatrical success of The Devil Wears Prada, which has grossed over $275 million in worldwide box office, and the pay-TV availability of Fantastic Four. The quarter also included launch costs for the summer hit Little Miss Sunshine and pre-launch costs for the home entertainment release of X-Men: The Last Stand, released on 2 October and Ice Age: The Meltdown, which is scheduled to be released on 21 November.

    News Corp chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, “The operational momentum we exhibited throughout our record fiscal 2006 continued during the first quarter of fiscal 2007. Sustained market-leading positions at our cable networks and television stations, along with stronger advertising at the Fox network, produced double-digit operating income growth in the cable network programming and television segments.

    “Additionally, as the results demonstrate, Sky Italia has successfully leveraged its subscriber growth over the past year to dramatically lower its operating losses. And while our film segment faced difficult comparisons with a year ago, our theatrical successes over the past six months are poised to generate significant returns in the quarters ahead as these titles are distributed across additional distribution platforms.

    “We have also begun to capitalise on the rapid growth at our new media assets, where News Corporation websites now rank second in the US in total page views and fifth in unique visitors. Our recently announced landmark deal with Google for textual search is expected to generate $900 million over three and a half years, signifying our ability to monetize our traffic in ways that make sense
    for our audience and quickly moving our new media properties toward profitability.”

    Cable network programming operating income was up 26 per cent on affiliate and advertising growth at the Regional Sports Networks and FX. Fox News ratings dominance continues, aintaining its position as the number one cable news network for nearly five years.