ITV

Tag: Kuala Lumpur

  • ABU Digital Radio Convention to focus on complete digital transition

    ABU Digital Radio Convention to focus on complete digital transition

    MUMBAI: The second edition of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Digital Radio Convention will be held in Kuala Lumpur from 14 to 17 August.

    The speakers at the convention will speak to radio broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region on when to make the complete digital transition.

    The speakers lined-up for the convention include: KBS-BTRT director Shinil Chung, Factum Electronics / WorldDAB Forum MD Kenneth Lundgren, Broadcast Systems, STRL, NHK principal research engineer Koichiro Imamura, International Broadcast Business Development Ibiquity Digital Corp director Perry Priestley, Broadcast Electronics Chuck Kelly, AMP Radio GM Michael Blackburn, Dalet director of marketing Nicolas Hans and NPR Labs VP CTO and executive director Mike Starling.

    The four day convention and workshops not only provide updates on digital radio developments, but concentrates on the implementation and application issues – the myriad of decisions on business factors, content production facilities, transmission standards/systems, receiver developments, consumer take-up and switch-over issues.

    According to an official release, around 40 experts from Asia and around the world will contribute to the event by way of presentations, panel discussions and facilitating the in-depth, interactive workshops.

    Sponsors and exhibitors of the ABU Digital Radio Convention brings in big names, which include: principal sponsor Harris; AMP, Broadcast Electronics, Broadcast Australia, iBiquity Digital Corporation, Thomson Broadcast & Multimedia AG, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), Commercial Radio Australia, THL Australia Pty Limited, Go-Mobile Pte Ltd, WorldSpace, VT Communications, Klotz Digital, Digital Integrated System Sdn Bhd (DIS), on and DMB.

    “We are delighted to be supporting this major convention which keeps broadcasters in tune with the developments in digital radio,” says Harris Broadcast Communications director, Radio Products & Strategy Rich Redmond.

    “The ABU Digital Radio Convention is the key venue for broadcasters, manufacturers and others who want the full picture of the region’s burgeoning digital future. DRM is excited to play an active role in this year’s convention, and we look forward to meeting the participants in Kuala Lumpur. The ABU is a long-time member of the DRM consortium, and we are proud of its leadership in promoting digital solutions to its own members,” Deutsche Welle director and DRM chairman Peter Senger adds.

    “An increasing number of radio broadcasters in the region are embracing the transition to digital transmission. This convention will provide an excellent platform for broadcasters and industry players to network and understand the business issues as well as new technical developments. We would particularly like to address those issues that seem to be holding up the wide scale adoption of digital radio technologies in the Asia-Pacific,” points out ABU secretary general David Astley.

  • Malaysia’s Astro eyes significant FM presence in India

    Malaysia’s Astro eyes significant FM presence in India

    MUMBAI: South East Asia’s leading media group Astro All Asia Networks plc is eyeing a major expansion of its activities in India. It is currently in advanced discussions with strategic partners on various initiatives, including participation in a nationwide consortium of FM radio networks.

    Speaking to reporters after Astro’s third AGM at the Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Group CEO Ralph Marshall said, “We expect to finalise partnership arrangements in the coming months. Appropriate announcements will be made in due course.” Added Marshall, “We expect that we would have a 20 per cent interest in a nationwide radio licence as soon as we receive the approvals.”

    Astro already manages two FM radio stations in Kolkata. Astro’s direct FM operations in India are managed through AMSI (Airtime Marketing & Sales India). Astro, working with its local Indian partners Power107.8 FM and Aamar 106.2 FM, provide studio facilities and airtime sales and marketing services to the two FM radio stations in Kolkata.

    Additionally, Marshall mentioned that Astro also wants to create content for distribution in both India and China.

    A key part of Marshall’s interaction with the media yesterday was devoted to Astro’s plans to invest $135.8 million over the next three to five years to build up its business in Indonesia. The pay-TV operator is to take a 20 per cent stake in a joint venture in Indonesia, known as PT Direct Vision (PTDV). Terms and conditions of the joint venture are expected to be finalised in six to eight weeks, reports Malaysia’s Business Times. Astro also expects to introduce more services, including pay and premium programming, in Malaysia and Brunei once it has access to MEASAT’s new satellite transponder capacity on Measat-3.

    “We will have a significant number of new services for our customers in Malaysia and Brunei once we have access to new satellite transponder capacity on Measat-3. Malaysia remains a growth market for us and content is key to driving future growth and customer retention. Our programming team has lined up a suite of local and international programmes of various genres and languages. In this regard, we are pleased to have received confirmation from satellite owner and operator Measat Global of a new launch slot for M3 between 28 November 2006 and 26 January 2007,” said Rohana Rozhan CEO Astro TV.

    The company will soon also launch Astro MAX, its next generation set-top box that incorporates an 80GB integrated hard disk drive.

    “Outside Malaysia, the Group is focused on expanding our distribution platforms and content development, particularly multi-lingual, multi-ethnic content, for the regional markets,” said Marshall.

    It was just last month that Astro and Prannoy Roy’s NDTV jointly announced the launch of a 24 hour news, infotainment and lifestyle channel called Astro Awani in Djakarta, Indonesia. The language of the channel is primarily Bahasa Indonesia. Astro Awani is the first channel launched by NDTV outside of India.

    With this launch Astro Awani became the first news channel in Astro’s bouquet, and is being distributed throughout Indonesia on PT Direct Vision’s platform, that is currently licensing the ‘Astro’ trademark.

    Astro Awani is the first channel launched by NDTV generating news that is not India-related and is specifically for viewers of that country. NDTV will be launching a similar channel with Astro in Malaysia by this year-end.

  • CNN scores with air travelers

    CNN scores with air travelers

    CNN International has another set of numbers to thump its chest about. The International Air Travelers survey (IATS Asia 7) – conducted by the European Data & Research Ltd (EDR) between March and April 2000 in the international departure/gate areas of ten major airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Manila, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Singapore and Taipei – has revealed that CNN reaches more than twice the number of international air travelers than its nearest rival the Beeb.

    The survey shows that CNNI reaches 37 per cent of international air travelers on a weekly basis as against BBC World’s 19 per cent and CNBC Asia’s 15.4 per cent. IATS Asia 7 also confirmed that CNN International reaches 50 per cent of all senior business executives surveyed, the CNN press release states.

    “This is a very positive result for CNN International. (It) endorse(s) our investment in regionalisation, which has meant a significant amount of extra spending to increase the localized content available to our viewers, ” says CNN International managing editor, Asia Pacific Bill Baggitt.

  • Singapore TV personality Allan Wu to host AXN’s Amazing Race Asia edition

    Singapore TV personality Allan Wu to host AXN’s Amazing Race Asia edition

    MUMBAI: One of the action oriented AXN’s biggest on ground initiatives for this year is The Amazing Race Asia. Like its American counterpart, the reality show will see contestants from different Asian countries running from one location to another on specified modes of transport to emerge as a winner and get $100,000.

    The host of the show will be Singapore-based TV personality Allan Wu. He has in the past participated in the US reality series Fear Factor which also airs on AXN. As had been reported a few months ago by indiantelevision.com, over 1,000 teams had applied to participate in the race.

    As a marketing initiative, AXN will conduct a series of road shows in the region to engage the public. AXN will be holding the Amazing Race Fan Tour from July to October. The places it will visit are Delhi on 8 October, Korea on 8 July, Bangkok on 5 August, Singapore on 26 August, Kuala Lumpur on 9 September and Manila on 30 September.

    AXN says that it was searching for a host that could not only relate to various Asian cultures but who would be able to keep up with the intense physical demands of the race.

    SPE Networks Asia GM Ricky Ow says, “Having participated in another world-class TV show, Allan Wu understands what it takes to be the host of The Amazing Race Asia. He embodies the spirit of AXN and The Amazing Race Asia. As a big fan of The Amazing Race, Allan will be able to give interesting insight to the Asian version of this hit reality show.

    “And it doesn’t hurt that Allan is easy on the eyes. His good looks and natural charisma will offer a different appeal from the US version, and will definitely ‘Wu’ new fans for The Amazing Race Asia.”

    AXN has also announced a raft of sponsors for the event. They are Malaysia Tourism and Promotion Board, and the regional sponsors are: Official Camera Partner – Sony Electronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, Official Airline Partner – AirAsia, Caltex, MSN, Official Mobile Partner – Nokia, and Official Hospitality Partner – Bintan Lagoon Resort and Bintan Resorts. Ford is a local sponsor.

    Production on The Amazing Race Asia finished last month. Post-production work will shortly commence and the show will air in 13 episodes across Asia later in the year.

    Each team comprises of two people with a pre-existing relationship like husband – wife, mother – daughter.

    As with the US version, participants will be perpetually guessing their next destination as venturing into the unknown has always been the entertaining hallmark of the show. This sense of the unknown puts everyone on a level playing field.

  • CNN’s daily audience base up 35%: Pax Survey

    CNN’s daily audience base up 35%: Pax Survey

    MUMBAI: Global market research company Synovate Pax’s survey results reveal that CNN’s audience growth across the Asia Pacific region out-paced all gains for the news genre, with daily audiences up by a remarkable 35 per cent year-on-year.

    Further evidence of CNN’s pre-eminence is supported by results that show, the network is viewed by 14 per cent more people each week, and 16 per cent more each month, than all other news and business channels combined, informs an official release.

    This represents the sixth successive set of Pax results to show growth in CNN’s audience, claiming that one which also added 56 per cent more past-week viewers and 65 per cent more past-month viewers than the next placed news channel (BBC World).

    Turner International Asia Pacific VP of research Duncan Morris says, “With the fast pace of globalization more and more people find they need an international perspective so we are absolutely delighted with
    this further ringing endorsement of CNN’s newsgathering credentials.”

    “Our award winning coverage of global events has clearly resonated with our audience, particularly so as we are watched by 39 per cent more top management each day than any other measured channel.

    ” The benefits of this audience growth for advertisers are real as, for example, each month CNN now reaches 169,000 (+40per cent) more people planning to buy an LCD or plasma TV than it did a year ago, as well as 479,000 or 23 per cent more car owners,” adds Morris.

    The full-year survey results, conducted by Synovate, further reveal almost half (46 per cent) of CNN’s weekly audience view no other news/business channel during the course of a week, and 39 per cent of them remain loyal across a month.

    CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 54 per cent more Pax respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website.

    Pax represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets, including Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo.

    These 14.2 million individuals consist of 13.0 million affluent adults, 3.8 million business decision makers and 0.8 million top management.With a total sample size of over 20,000, Pax fieldwork takes place continually throughout the year. Results are released each quarter on a rolling 4-quarters basis. The Q1-Q4 2005 period represents the latest Pax data release.

  • CNN viewed by 14 % more people each week: PAX survey

    CNN viewed by 14 % more people each week: PAX survey

    MUMBAI: The 24-hour international English news channel CNN’s audience growth across the Asia Pacific region has out-paced all gains for the news genre as a whole, with daily audiences up by a remarkable 35 per cent year-on-year.

    In an official statement, the international news channel claims it’s pre-eminence comes in the results that show the network is viewed by 14 per cent more people each week, and 16 per cent more each month, than all other news and business channels combined.

    These were the sixth successive set of PAX results to show growth in CNN’s audience, one which also added 56 per cent more past-week viewers and 65 per cent more past-month viewers than the next placed news channel (BBC World).

    “With the fast pace of globalization more and more people find they need an international perspective so we are absolutely delighted with this further ringing endorsement of CNN’s newsgathering credentials”, said Turner International Asia Pacific VP research Duncan Morris.

    “Our award winning coverage of global events has clearly resonated with our audience, particularly so as we are watched by 39 per cent more top management each day than any other measured channel. The benefits of this audience growth for advertisers are real as, for example, each month CNN now reaches 169,000 (+40 per cent) more people planning to buy an LCD or plasma TV than it did a year ago, as well as 479,000 or 23 per cent more car owners,” adds Morris.

    The full-year survey results, conducted by Synovate, further reveal that almost half (46 per cent ) of CNN’s weekly audience view no other news/business channel during the course of a week, and 39 per cent of them remain loyal across a month. Online, CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 54 per cent more PAX respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website.

    CNN International offers comprehensive international and regional news coverage 24 hours a day and provides prime-time morning and evening news and business programming for viewers in the Asia Pacific. Programs including CNN Today, World News Asia, Global Office and popular chat show Talk Asia are broadcast from the network’s regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

    PAX represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets: – Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo. These 14.2 million individuals consist of 13.0 million “Affluent Adults”, 3.8 million “Business Decision Makers” and 0.8 million ‘top management’.