ITV

Tag: Korea

  • Samsung Electronics unveils 3 inch VGA resolution LCD for digital cameras

    Samsung Electronics unveils 3 inch VGA resolution LCD for digital cameras

    MUMBAI: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., thin-film transistor and liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels provider, has developed the first three-inch LCD panel with VGA (640 x 480 pixels) resolution that directly meets industry interface standards for digital still cameras.

    Samsung Electronics Executive VP Yun Jin-hyuk of said, “Our new LCD panel will make viewing of digital pictures distinctly more impressive on camera screens, personal multi-media players and other products requiring high-image resolution and low-power consumption.”

    Digital camera makers use an interface known as ITU-R601, an international standard for cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs that operates at 30Hz. This standard is incompatible with LCDs, which normally run at 60Hz. Manufacturers have had to reconcile the difference either by compressing the images or by manipulating the signal. However, such approaches will only work with LCDs having a resolution of VGA(320 x 240 pixels) or less. Samsung’s new LCD operates on 30Hz, allowing VGA images to be obtained from a digital camera without having to create another interface, informs an official release.

    The three-inch VGA LCD also incorporates a dot inversion scheme that lowers power consumption while substantially reducing the image flickering that has prevented such an approach in the past. Power consumption is further reduced because the 30Hz source driver requires less power than the 60Hz type, helping to better differentiate mobile display-based products, adds the release.

    Samsung will exhibit its new device at IMID 2006, which opens in Daegu, Korea on 23 August. Samsung will begin commercially producing the new VGA-resolution LCD panel in the first half of 2007.

  • Turner to launch Cartoon Network in Korea

    Turner to launch Cartoon Network in Korea

    MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) has teamed up with South Korea’s media group JoongAng Ilbo (JAI) to launch Cartoon Network Korea.

    The agreement was signed by TBS Korea vice president Ron Lee and JoongAng Broadcasting Corporation (JBC)- a JAI media group company- president and CEO Mun-Yeon Kim.

    In keeping with the Korean broadcast regulations, the majority stake in the joint venture will be held by JAI’s JBC, with Turner holding a 49 per cent stake in the partnership. Cartoon Network Korea will be languaged in Korean.

    To debut later this year, Cartoon Network Korea will showcase the best in animation, offering both Korean and international animation. Predominantly an animation channel, it will bring together a unique mix of new as well as recognised programming to Korean kids.

    Kim said, “The launch of Cartoon Network Korea is a very significant event for us and for the Korean television industry as the launch of the Network officially kicks off. Cartoon Network Korea will combine the unique strengths of both partners, and will build on our unrivalled knowledge and expertise to create a kids’ channel that will raise the bar and set new standards of excellence in the kids’ entertainment genre. Cartoon Network Korea will offer a variety of multi-genre animation titles from its world-renowned library, and will provide more than just Japanese titles or a single style of animation genre.”

    Lee added, “To successfully operate in a highly developed market such as Korea, it is imperative to enter into an alliance with a local partner. In JoongAng Ilbo, we are partnering with an acknowledged leader in the Korean media business. The partnership is a natural extension of our long standing relationship with JAI and is further strengthened by JAI’s deep understanding of our brand philosophy. By making this strategic investment to create a unique kids’ entertainment channel in Korea, we are demonstrating our commitment to cater to the specific viewing preferences of the young Korean audience.”

    “As a leading player in the kids’ entertainment genre in Asia-Pacific, we understand that effective localisation is key for a network to resonate with the audience. Given our experience in successfully delivering specialised Cartoon Network services across the Asia-Pacific, we are confident that our compelling and diverse array of content, specially engineered for kids in Korea, will open up a whole new viewing experience for them,” said Turner Entertainment Networks Asia senior vice president and general manager Ian Diamond.

    Cartoon Network Korea will provide a diverse mix of content drawn from production companies from around the world including Japan, Korea and Cartoon Network’s own library – comprising more than 14,000 Warner Bros., MGM, Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network Originals series and shorts. Cartoon Network Korea will also work closely with JAI to examine opportunities for the development of animation in Korea.

  • Change of reins at ESPN

    Change of reins at ESPN

    Rik Dovey, formerly Senior Vice president of Production, Operations and Engineering at ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has taken over as managing director of ESS from Alexander Brown, who will now be a strategic adviser to ESS ahead of his departure before the year end.

    In addition to management responsibilities he will also oversee the establishment of espnstar.com, the companys new internet venture which is said to include complete localisation in major markets such as India, China, Taiwan and Korea.

    Dovey brings along with him 30 years of broadcasting experience to the position.

  • Digital radio is where it’s at

    Digital radio is where it’s at

    SINGAPORE: Looks like it’s time for traditional radio stations in India to pull up their socks, as digital and internet radio is already being lapped up by about 50 million music lovers across the world.

    Not just that, but new ways of accessing music, (via wireless and Internet) has brought in a paradigm shift in the functioning of the traditional audio medium…

    Just a quick dekko at some facts and sweeping changes. With Podcasting gaining ground, interactive and savvy consumers are creating their own customized radio stations online. We already have have more than 40,000 radio stations podcasting live; which is a disturbing fact considering that there are only 30,000 traditional radio stations across the world. Also, the success of sites like myspace.com have gone on to show that social networking sites will become more important for selling music as compared to TV or Radio.

    Media futurist, & ThinkAndLink, CEO, Gerd Leonhard dwelled at length on the future of radio yesterday, the last day of Broadcst Asia. Addressing a packed audience of professionals from across the world, Leonhard said, “Digital & internet radio is now big in countries like UK, Japan, Korea, Scandinavia and very soon it’s going to catch on across the world. Traditional radio companies have to accept this and move ahead with the changes.”

    He further added, “The radio industry is touted to be roughly around $ 50 billion a year, constituting around 15 per cent of total advertising revenues. Now, this pie is going to be further fragmented and shared by mobile companies, and even companies like Apple, Google; even mobile companies as well as wireless companies. What has now emerged is that content owners will not hold distribution rights to their content anymore, so the only thing is to accept this and try to monetize from this. So, one will see a a new type of advertising which will be the revenue driver along with the content.

    Some relevant data which emerged from the session was that myspace.com, which currently has 28 billion page views, seems to be more important tpo advertisers than even a heavy rotation on MTV. Also, to listen to music, it’s the always with you/always on devices that are critical (2 billion mobile users, coupled with 50 million ipods). 
    When queried on his views on the Indian radio market, Leonhard said that, India along with China, and some untapped markets in Africa and Middle East will lead the rapid growth.

    Also, with the mobile and technology revolution sweeping India, the rates will fall further and people will access digital radio sooner than even other parts of the world.

  • MTV Asia to hold first movie awards show in October

    MTV Asia to hold first movie awards show in October

    MBAI: MTV Asia will roll out the red carpet and welcome the biggest stars of Asian and international movies when it stages its first movie awards show on 7 October 2006 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

    As part of the creative vision of the event, the iconic Southeast Asian performance venue will be fitted-out in true Hollywood glitz and glamour to accommodate the star-studded night and will set the tone for a night of awards, superstar presenters, musical tributes and celebrity antics.

    As is the case with the US show the MTV Asia Movie Awards will take a unique twist to ‘traditional’ movie kudofests by offering off-the-wall categories appealing to MTV’s audience such as “Best Kiss” and “Best Fight” filling out the list of golden popcorn trophies awarded on the night.

    The awards will also feature live performances from international and regional acts, making the event a blend of movie glamour and popular music.

    MTV notes that Asian stars, directors and films are increasingly captivating the global movie buffs. The show will feature the biggest names from Hollywood to Bollywood. Industry A-listers from India, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore will share the spotlight with international headline-grabbing celebrities who top the list of nominees, presenters and attendees taking part in the MTV Asia Movie Awards.

    MTV executive VP creative David Flack says, “The MTV Asia Movie Awards will give a unique spin to the only telecast hailed as the wackiest awards show around. With so many Asian filmmakers, stars and movies impacting global pop culture, there has never been a better time for MTV to celebrate and highlight the Asian Movie Industry with its unique sense of fun and humour.”

    The MTV Asia Movie Awards will be staged under the US$50 million strategic alliance formalised between MTV Asia and the Singapore Tourism Board in February 2006. Singapore will host 17 MTV and Nickelodeon events under the alliance; the first MTV Fashionably Loud event featured Placebo in March, with Coldplay performing at the upcoming MTV Centrestage in July.

  • India, China to propel Asia- Pacific broadband revenue to $55 billion by 2011; study

    India, China to propel Asia- Pacific broadband revenue to $55 billion by 2011; study

    MUMBAI: India and China seem to be the key countries, that are likely to propel the growth and increase of broadband revenues in the Asia-Pacific region and double from 20.7 billion US dollars last year to 55.1 billion US dollars in 2011, as indicated by the Arizona based In-Stat research agency.

    The research indicates that the broadband future hinges on developing countries. Thus, Asia’s broadband future depends on countries like Thailand, India, China, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

    These findings highlight that the broadband user base stood at 86.6 million in 2005 and the number will set to increase nearly threefold to 235.7 million users in five years.

    “In less developed markets like China and India, broadband access services are expected to demonstrate impressive growth through 2011, and constitute the bulk of Asia Pacific’s broadband subscriber expansion,” says In-Stat analyst Bryan Wang.

    He added, “Wide availability of low prices in cyber cafes in these markets is allowing people to experience broadband services without a fixed charge, which will stimulate potential new subscriptions.”

    Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore have been the key drivers of the growth broadband space in the past.

    Tier-1 markets Japan and South Korea contributed more than 60 per cent of total revenue in 2005, followed by Tier-2 markets Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, and Singapore contributing around 15 per cent, the research firm says.

    The findings also highlighted that the next-generation broadband services strategy in markets like Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong is to promote value-added broadband services, driven by the launch of compelling broadband content (i.e. IPTV and VoIP) and innovative broadband pricing plans.

    Various connection technologies will be competing through 2011, with the current dominating technology, DSL, facing price competition from cable modem and satellite. In the long run, compelling content or ‘killer broadband applications’, will be the key to success.

    This research is part of In-Stat’s Asia Consumer Convergence Service, which takes an in-depth look at digital home networking related products by country as well as applications markets. This makes it an unique service for anyone interested in consumer markets, in extremely dynamic Asian markets such as China, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

  • Disney and Optus to launch Disney Connection in Australia

    Disney and Optus to launch Disney Connection in Australia

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) and Optus have signed an agreement to launch an interactive broadband service Disney Connection on the Optus broadband portal.

    The service will offer kids and families a broad range of media-rich Disney entertainment and learning activities. It will be available to Optus broadband customers in July 2006.

    The agreement marks the Australian launch of the popular Disney-branded internet channel, which is available in eight other countries, including the US, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

    “We’re very pleased to work with Optus to make this high-quality broadband content available to Australian consumers,” said Walt Disney Internet Group International executive vice president and managing director Mark Handler.

    “Disney Connection provides unique, high-quality and differentiated online entertainment that kids and families can enjoy. We look forward to bringing more of our rich library of online interactive entertainment to this market,” he added.

    Disney Connection will offer Optus broadband customers a regularly-updated slate of interactive games and activities, as well as video, based on both classic and new Disney characters. Its Studio Showcase will provide video shorts from Disney, including Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney clips, cartoon shorts, music videos, and movie trailers.

    “As Australians increasingly embrace broadband, we are pleased to launch an interactive and educational entertainment destination designed especially to meet the needs of children and families,” said Optus Consumer group director products and delivery Chris Lane.

    “This is a cornerstone deal in Optus’ strategy of featuring the internet’s leading online brands and entertainment providers. It is another step in Optus’ vision of a digital future where PC and mobile phones become sources of everyday entertainment,” he added.

    Disney Connection content on the Optus broadband portal will be refreshed every other week. Kids and families will be able to personalise their site experience through the “My Disney” link by selecting their favourite theme – from Buzz Lightyear to Disney Princess – and choosing their preferred games and other content to appear on the Disney Connection home page.

    A separate mobile section will highlight Disney-branded mobile content available on the Optus Zoo WAP portal.

    In the Asia Pacific region, Disney.com has well-established, localized Internet sites in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Australia. WDIG launched its first broadband content service in Japan in 2003 with NTT FLET’s broadband network, reaching more than 7.9 million subscribers. In June 2005, it launched its first broadband service in Taiwan with Chungwa Telecom’s HiNet ADSL, the country’s leading broadband provider, with more than 3.5 million subscribers.

    WDIG has mobile content distribution in 13 markets in the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, China, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Macau. In this region, more than 695 million mobile consumers have access to Disney-branded mobile content.

  • MTV launches broadband and mobile community platform in Korea

    MTV launches broadband and mobile community platform in Korea

    MUMBAI: MTV Asia Pacific has entered into a collaboration with Korean multimedia developer Wizmax to launch a customizable on-demand music and entertainment broadband and mobile community platform in Korea called MTV BoomBox.

    The venture has established a state-of-the art prototype that will serve as a model for customisable MTV platforms in the broadband and wireless content services arena across Asia.

    MTV Boombox will be an online entertainment destination utilizing state of the art technology across online and mobile platforms. The service will provide Korean consumers a digital community featuring local and international MTV programming on-demand, a wealth of user-generated content and a vast library of local and international music video and audio downloads, all celebrating the vibrant culture of music. MTV Boombox marks the first MTV-branded broadband network in Asia and the first video-based music community site to launch in Korea.

    Featuring a combination of free and paid streaming and downloading services including MTV programming, music, music videos, radio and more, MTV Boombox will allow users to customise their experience with video blogs, podcasting, file uploading and personalized homepages all designed to seamlessly connect with PCs, mobile phones and MP3 players. MTV Boombox will roll out in three phases beginning in May with full applications available to consumers by the third quarter of the year.

    MTV Asia Pacific president Nigel Robbins says, “Korea’s advanced technology allows us to deliver our world-renowned content in ways never seen before, and sets the tone for our future digital growth throughout the region.”

    Wizmax CEO Geoffrey H. Keum says, “The strategic alliance between the world’s best content provider and Wizmax’s digital multimedia service and technology will certainly make a global impact. MTV Boombox will introduce the next generation of new media services to Korea and throughout Asia.”

    MTV Boombox will provide users with an entertainment gateway, showcasing music and pop culture in MTV’s distinct editorial voice with applications allowing the user to customize and share their experience with others. Along with full episodes of original programming such as TRL Seoul available on-demand.

    MTV Boombox will also feature video clips from shows like Laguna Beach and access to events like the MTV Asia Awards. MTV says that the new venture also allows a wealth of sponsorship opportunities including full TVC streams and exclusive sponsored content not available on the free to access sections. Sponsors can provide MTV Boombox subscribers click-thru content such as the pre-release of music, performances and MTV series only available on broadband.

    MTV Boombox also offers advertisers creative re-skins reflecting corporate branding, all seamlessly integrated into the look and user-friendly design of MTV Boombox.

    MTV Boombox is the sixth MTV-branded broadband network launched by MTV Networks. MTV Overdrive was launched in April 2005 in the US, followed by the September launch of a customized service for Latin America called MTV Revolution. mtvU, MTV’s US-based college network, launched Uber in 2005, marking the company’s first network to be available in its entirety on broadband.

    Another localised service for MTV Overdrive launched in conjunction with the debut of MTV Canada in March 2006 and MTV Overdrive in the U.K and Ireland launched last month. The company has plans to launch additional online, on-demand services for MTV and Nickelodeon internationally throughout the year.