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  • MTV Intl wins 2006 One World Media Award for Aids film ‘Transit’

    MTV Intl wins 2006 One World Media Award for Aids film ‘Transit’

    MUMBAI: MTV International was recently honoured at a ceremony in London with a 2006 One World Media Award in the category of ‘Popular Features’ for its first-ever made-for-TV film Transit.The film premiered on 1 December 2005 World Aids Day as part of MTV’s Staying Alive HIV and Aids prevention campaign.

    Transit was shot in St. Petersburg, Mexico City, Nairobi and Los Angeles, using the backdrop of these cities to tell a story about love, sex and youth. It has an international cast that includes British actress Shelly Conn Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Humberto Busto Amores Perros, Transit was developed by MTVNI in conjunction with The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

    In addition to airing on MTV channels around the world, Transit was offered to all broadcasters worldwide cost and rights free to get HIV prevention messages out to the widest audience possible. More than 50 additional broadcasters in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, North America, South America and Russia aired the film.

  • Global Crossing enables video streaming of Fifa World Cup for Swedish ISP

    Global Crossing enables video streaming of Fifa World Cup for Swedish ISP

    MUMBAI: Global Crossing which provides telecommunications solutions has successfully delivered high-speed, 10-Gbps IP Transit Service to IP-Only Telecommunications. The latter is a Swedish Internet service provider that is streaming video of the 2006 Fifa World Cup matches.

    Anticipating additional strength in demand for IP services in the Nordic region, Global Crossing recently installed new 10-Gbps-capable routers in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. As a result, the company was able to provide the requested service quickly, with IP-Only becoming the first customer connected via the new router in Stockholm.

    IP-Only CEO Svante Jurnell says, “We have several of the largest Swedish Internet sites running over our network. It was important for us to get this service installed in time for the June 9th start of the World Cup. We are very happy that Global Crossing was able to meet our need.”

    Even though thousands of despairing Swedish fans had to witness their team face defeat at the hands of Germany, the service provided by IP-Only enabled football fans to view the knock-out matches, leading to the final between France and Italy on 9 July 2006.

    Global Crossing has 10-Gbps capacity at its IP nodes in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris and London. The Madrid router and the second routers at Amsterdam and Frankfurt will be commissioned shortly. The company’s Scandinavian ring was also recently upgraded with multiple 10-Gbps wavelengths.

    Global Crossing MD Europe Pieter Duijves says, “Europe is a key part of our global strategy, and we’re investing in on our rapidly growing carrier data business in the Nordics by upgrading our transport backbone and the capacity of core IP network.

    “Through our network, IP-Only’s service is allowing Swedish viewers abroad the thrill of watching their team play on Swedish Internet sites. Data-intensive applications such as this play to our strengths as a leading provider of
    high-capacity services in the region.”

    This new capability forms part of an ongoing European network expansion programme. In recent months, additional IP points of presence have been commissioned in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Spain, and new points of presence were created in Italy and Russia. Network extensions connecting to the major exchanges in Moscow and Rome enable Global Crossing to offer its suite of voice and data products to carriers and enterprises in these cities.

  • BBC World debuts in the US market

    BBC World debuts in the US market

    MUMBAI: In a bid to target a wider audience, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has launched BBC World in the US market. Though the news channel started broadcasting at the end of April, it was officially launched on 1 June. The channel can now be seen in New York. The BBC is also looking at striking deals with cable and satellite providers elsewhere in the US soon. 

    The launch coincided with the unveiling of an outdoor advertising campaign in New York to promote the service to viewers.

    In July, BBC World will launch a new breakfast programme presented by George Alagiah. “What we’re not setting out to do is carve a niche that reflects America back to the Americans. What we’re trying to do is reflect the world back to Americans,” Alagiah was quoted as saying in BBC News.

    The show, which will be based in London, will also be carried on the cable channel BBC America.

    BBC World was launched in 1995, and is funded by advertising and subscription. Apart from news bulletins, it also broadcasts the interview programme Hardtalk, motoring show Top Gear and film guide Talking Movies, amongst others.

    Although it can be seen in more than 200 countries, the channel has found it difficult to get a foothold in the US. “The American TV market is the most crowded market in the world. For cable operators to find a space for another news network has been quite difficult,” said the station’s editor Richard Porter.

    Porter also said that the channel’s coverage of global affairs has been their key selling point.

    The launch of BBC World in New York comes just four months after the station signed a distribution deal with Discovery. The channel’s main competitor in the US will be CNN International.

  • IMG acquires production firm Tiger Aspect

    IMG acquires production firm Tiger Aspect

    MUMBAI: IMG Media has announced that it will acquire the London based production firm Tiger Aspect Productions.

    The acquisition includes Tiger Aspect’s subsidiaries Tigress (adventure and wildlife producer), TTP (Washington DC-based US production company) and Tiger Aspect Pictures.

    IMG Media, a division of sports, entertainment and media firm IMG, will finance the acquisition entirely with capital from parent company IMG. The Tiger Aspect acquisition is part of IMG’s strategic growth plans.

    It will also enable IMG Media to become for the first time, a multi-genre market leader. IMG Media says that its subsidiaries TWI, the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports programming, and high-end factual specialists Darlow Smithson Productions (Touching the Void, I Shouldn’t Be Alive, Seconds From Disaster, The Falling Man), put it at the forefront of global high-end factual production.

    For Tiger Aspect, the agreement enhances its position as one of the top global multi-genre production companies, giving it access to new opportunities via a greater global presence, intellectual property within the group and new technologies.

    Tiger Aspect brings with it key strengths across a wide range of programming including animation and children’s, comedy, drama, entertainment, and a broad range of factual output. It also produces wildlife programmes (through Tigress) and has a movie unit which has produced hits ranging from Billy Elliot to Kevin and Perry Go Large.

    Key to the acquisition is Tiger Aspect’s reputation as a creative independent producer with a proven track record of producing hits across all genres, both within the UK and overseas. The company has a growing annual output of more than 220 hours and an annual turnover of more than 50 million pounds. In addition to its London HQ and Bristol office, it has an established production base on the east coast of America.

    Tiger Aspect’s programme portfolio includes comedies like The Catherine Tate Show, The Vicar of Dibley, Mr Bean. Currently in production are new series of BBC shows Charlie and Lola and detective drama Murphy’s Law. Tiger Aspect has also done factual series like The Monastery.

    IMG chairman and CEO Ted Forstmann said, “IMG today is in an exceptionally strong financial position. As a result of unprecedented internal growth, we are now able to make investments in any of the areas in which we do business. We already have a major presence in worldwide distribution, rights management, and New Media. The Tiger Aspect acquisition will immediately help us grow content production and distribution. We welcome Tiger Aspect and its people into the IMG global family.”

    IMG Media executive VP and COO Alastair Waddington said, “Tiger Aspect’s acquisition realises IMG Media’s long-held ambition to become a multi-genre producer, and we look forward to Tiger Aspect’s continued success and growth, while maintaining its distinctive identity as a producer of top quality programming.”

    Tiger Aspect founder and chairman Peter Bennett-Jones said, “This is a red letter day in the distinguished history of Tiger Aspect. We are immensely proud of our output and this deal will enhance our ability to make many more memorable programmes for broadcast in the UK and around the world through IMG’s extensive international structure. It will also open up new media opportunities and introduce new markets and creative relationships.”

  • Universal Studios creates mobile division

    Universal Studios creates mobile division

    MUMBAI: Universal Studios has announced that its consumer products group has created a dedicated division designed to capitalise on the rapidly growing world of mobile entertainment.

    The new division, Universal Mobile Entertainment, will be run from a day to day perspective by Universal veteran Jeremy Laws who has been promoted to senior vice president.

    Under the newly minted division, Laws will oversee all aspects of licensing and promotions in the wireless arena as well as actively pursue and manage licenses from creation to consumption. He will lead a team of sales executives based around the world including the major media markets like Los Angeles, London and Tokyo.

    Laws says, “My goal, and that of my team, will be to ensure that fans of Universal’s films and television programmes will have easy access to a broad range of compelling, high quality
    mobile content on their handsets.”

    Universal Studios adds that it has been aggressive in the mobile content licensing market since 2000 and currently has more than 60 deals worldwide with premiere partners such as I-play, Gameloft, Buongiorno-Vitaminic, Ojom, Indiagames, Player X, (M)Forma and Starwave Mobile.

    Universal expects to see continued, substantial revenue growth in this space during 2006 as it launches 30 games and a comprehensive range of graphics, video clips and voice ringers on all major carriers across the globe from Universal’s
    current and library film and television assets.

    Laws joined Universal Studios Consumer Products Group as executive director in 1999. He has since spearheaded all aspects of licensing in the areas of wireless, broadcast film clips, stills and advertising and has overseen all aspects of Universal’s licensed location-based entertainment attractions worldwide. Laws pioneered an end-to-end online solution for film clip licensing and tripled the revenue of that business.

  • Kiefer Sutherland indicates plans to make ‘24’ into a movie

    Kiefer Sutherland indicates plans to make ‘24’ into a movie

    MUMBAI: The action packed show 24 which airs in India on AXN and in the US on Fox is going to make the transition to the big screen.

    In an interview to the BBC, the star of the show Kiefer Sutherland said, “We’re working on the film. We are really excited about it.”

    On BBC One’s film show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Sutherland spoke about his Golden Globe award-winning role as counter terrorist agent Jack Bauer in the show. Each season of the show takes place in a 24 hour period. Each episode represents an hour in Bauer’s life.

    Filming will start next year. The shoot, he says, will take place in London and Prague.