Tag: Maldives

  • Sony Pictures Networks secures exclusive television & digital rights for DFB-Pokal

    Sony Pictures Networks secures exclusive television & digital rights for DFB-Pokal

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) has secured the exclusive media rights to broadcast the DFB-Pokal season 2022-23. The broadcaster will have exclusive rights to televise the league in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The agreement also grants SPN the exclusive right to live-stream all matches on its premium OTT platform, SonyLIV.

    The second round began on 18 October and SPN’s sports channels are broadcasting the majority of this year’s DFB-Pokal season. The competition features 64 teams from various German leagues, including the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, and 3rd Division, as well as lower tier regional leagues. The DFB-Pokal title is significant at the European conference level, as the winner secures qualification for the UEFA Europa League group stage.

    The reigning champions RB Leipzig will defend their first-ever DFB-Pokal title against some of Germany’s best teams in the 80th edition. Fans will also have the opportunity to see one of Spain’s most revered footballing legends, Xabi Alonso, take over as manager of Bayer Leverkusen.

  • Reliance Jio’s IAX project to land in the Maldives

    Reliance Jio’s IAX project to land in the Maldives

    Mumbai: Reliance Jio Infocomm has announced that it will land the next generation multi-terabit India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) undersea cable system in Hulhumale, Maldives.

    The high capacity and high-speed IAX system will connect Hulhumale’ directly with the world’s major internet hubs in India and Singapore.

    “This is the first stride towards enhancing our connectivity infrastructure and opening vast opportunities for our people through providing secure, affordable and high-quality services,” said minister of economic development Uz Fayyaz Ismail. “We also aim to diversify our economy and establish ourselves as a key communications hub in South Asia. Aside from economic development, this will accelerate social development through high-speed internet access throughout the Maldives allowing us to attain the equitable development we seek.”

    “Today’s global economy is driven by low-latency broadband, connecting people, businesses, content, and services. IAX will not only connect Maldives to the world’s content hubs, but it will also support the explosive growth in data demand expected from the new initiatives being launched by the government of Maldives,” said Reliance Jio president Mathew Oommen. “Jio is very pleased to be working with the government of the Maldives to help realize this ambition by providing high-quality, terabit capacity supporting Web 3.0-capable internet services.”

    The IAX system originates in Mumbai in the west and connects directly to Singapore, with branches including additional landings in India, Malaysia, and Thailand. The India- Europe-Xpress (IEX) system connects Mumbai to Milan, landing in Savona, Italy, and includes additional landings in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. IAX is expected to be ready for service by the end-2023, while IEX will be ready for service in mid-2024.

    These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200Tb/s of capacity at speeds of 100Gb/s, over 16,000 kilometers. Employing open system technology and the latest wavelength switched RoADM/branching units ensures rapid upgrade deployment and the ultimate flexibility to add/drop waves across multiple locations.

    “IEX and IAX together will be one of the most important developments in telecommunications infrastructure in this decade, linking India, Europe to Southeast Asia, and now the Maldives,” said the statement.

  • Roamanchak took India’s most loved TV couple to Maldives

    Roamanchak took India’s most loved TV couple to Maldives

    Mumbai: The online travel content platform, Roamanchak took country’s most loved television couple Erica Fernandes & Parth Samthaan aka Prerna & Anurag from Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2 to the beautiful islands of Maldives last weekend to promote the luxurious ClubMed Kani.

    Their journey was not only held memorable to the guests at the resorts but also touched millions of hearts all over the world through Roamanchak’s digital platforms. #RoamanchakStayAtClubMed and #RoamanchakParica went viral on Instagram and Twitter during their stay at Club Med Kani. The two TV-star’s fans from across the globe went on asking for several photo & video requests on Roamanchak’s Instagram profile. 

    Roamanchak which is a unique online travel content platform that started in 2017 in association with Facebook India. Their first project involved a 100 days India journey by road, covering all the 29 states creating real-time travel content of the unseen places and the unheard traditions of our country. This time, Roamanchak went beyond borders and involved A-list celebrities from India that resulted in creating a meritorious influencer campaign for the brand. 

    Pardeep Rana, Founder, Roamanchak, said, “#RoamanchakStayAtXYZ” is the current project by our channel where we are bridging the gap between a brand (travel) and a celebrity to create awesomeness content on the internet. We are just not making tailor-made experiences for the celebrities but also creating sustainable visibility for the brand digitally. With the travel expertise and our past travel experiences, we now have many exceptional travel destinations in India and outside to explore with the right influencers. I am glad that #RoamanchakStayAtClubMed went exemplary and the credit goes to my team and to all the fans. We look forward to having many more credible campaigns for resorts and hotels around the globe in the near future.”

  • Net users: India follows leader China; Japan, Indonesia next in queue: Report

    Net users: India follows leader China; Japan, Indonesia next in queue: Report

    MUMBAI: South Korea and Japan are the leading two countries in Asia with regards to internet penetration reaching 91 per cent in 2016. The two are followed by Singapore (84pc), Taiwan (83pc), Azerbaijan (79pc), and Hong Kong (79pc).

    China leads in terms of overall number of internet users in 2016 (730 million), followed by India (290 million), Japan (115 million) and Indonesia (63.1 million). The expansion of broadband was for a long time a phenomenon limited to the developed economies, with narrow-band dial-up access being the norm in the majority of the developing countries of the region, WiseGuy Consultants reported Marketers Media as stating.

    However this has been gradually changing. In those economies, there is now increasing access to broadband, both DSL and cable modem platforms have both proved popular, with DSL establishing a clear advantage. More recently, one ha sseen the arrival of FttX as an alternative platform for broadband access in Asia. There also continues to be considerable activity in the broadband markets across Asia including amongst the many number of smaller countries such as Azerbaijan, Maldives and Macau.

    China leads the fixed broadband market in terms of both overall subscribers and market penetration. Subscribers reached 213 million in 2016 and market penetration reached 53pc. Although China boasts the largest number of broadband connections in the world, annual growth rates are subsiding as housing penetration reaches levels indicative of market maturity.

    China Telecom and China Unicom are the largest suppliers of fixed broadband. Fixed broadband levels in China are expected to continue rise more gradually due to a confluence of factors that includes telecom operators seeking revenue growth, a government seeking to reach ambitious targets, the increasing wealth of end users and digital media giants seeking new audience.

    However, fixed broadband services will continue to grow based on the sheer volume of data traffic as the market shifts from:
    • Connecting people to connecting devices;
    • Increasing usage of cloud services;
    • Increasing bandwidth demands from higher quality HD and 4K streaming services.

    Key highlights of the fixed broadband market in Asia in 2016:
    • South Korea and Japan are the leading two countries in Asia with regards to internet penetration.
    • Behind South Korea and Japan are Singapore, Taiwan, Azerbaijan, and Hong Kong.
    • China leads in terms of overall number of Internet users, followed by India, Japan and Indonesia.
    • China leads the fixed broadband market in terms of both overall subscribers and market penetration (53pc).
    • South Korea holds second place with fixed broadband subscriber penetration of 41pc in 2016.
    • Hong Kong takes third place with fixed broadband subscriber penetration of 32pc in 2016.

  • Net users: India follows leader China; Japan, Indonesia next in queue: Report

    Net users: India follows leader China; Japan, Indonesia next in queue: Report

    MUMBAI: South Korea and Japan are the leading two countries in Asia with regards to internet penetration reaching 91 per cent in 2016. The two are followed by Singapore (84pc), Taiwan (83pc), Azerbaijan (79pc), and Hong Kong (79pc).

    China leads in terms of overall number of internet users in 2016 (730 million), followed by India (290 million), Japan (115 million) and Indonesia (63.1 million). The expansion of broadband was for a long time a phenomenon limited to the developed economies, with narrow-band dial-up access being the norm in the majority of the developing countries of the region, WiseGuy Consultants reported Marketers Media as stating.

    However this has been gradually changing. In those economies, there is now increasing access to broadband, both DSL and cable modem platforms have both proved popular, with DSL establishing a clear advantage. More recently, one ha sseen the arrival of FttX as an alternative platform for broadband access in Asia. There also continues to be considerable activity in the broadband markets across Asia including amongst the many number of smaller countries such as Azerbaijan, Maldives and Macau.

    China leads the fixed broadband market in terms of both overall subscribers and market penetration. Subscribers reached 213 million in 2016 and market penetration reached 53pc. Although China boasts the largest number of broadband connections in the world, annual growth rates are subsiding as housing penetration reaches levels indicative of market maturity.

    China Telecom and China Unicom are the largest suppliers of fixed broadband. Fixed broadband levels in China are expected to continue rise more gradually due to a confluence of factors that includes telecom operators seeking revenue growth, a government seeking to reach ambitious targets, the increasing wealth of end users and digital media giants seeking new audience.

    However, fixed broadband services will continue to grow based on the sheer volume of data traffic as the market shifts from:
    • Connecting people to connecting devices;
    • Increasing usage of cloud services;
    • Increasing bandwidth demands from higher quality HD and 4K streaming services.

    Key highlights of the fixed broadband market in Asia in 2016:
    • South Korea and Japan are the leading two countries in Asia with regards to internet penetration.
    • Behind South Korea and Japan are Singapore, Taiwan, Azerbaijan, and Hong Kong.
    • China leads in terms of overall number of Internet users, followed by India, Japan and Indonesia.
    • China leads the fixed broadband market in terms of both overall subscribers and market penetration (53pc).
    • South Korea holds second place with fixed broadband subscriber penetration of 41pc in 2016.
    • Hong Kong takes third place with fixed broadband subscriber penetration of 32pc in 2016.

  • SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa America Centenario in India and the Indian sub-continent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). This year’s tournament being held in the United States of America from June 3 to June 26 will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD channels.

    As part of the rights package, the network will air all 32 matches of the tournament played across 10 venues in the United States. In addition to the live coverage, Sony ESPN channels will also broadcast the highlights of matches during the tournament. On the digital front, consumers will be able to livestream all the matches on Sony LIV.

    The Copa América Centenario is a historical once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating 100 years of the Copa América and is a special edition between the usual four-year cycles of the Copa América tournaments. For the first time since its inception, the tournament will be held outside of South America and feature the top star players from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean like Lionel Messi (Argentina), Luis Suarez (Uruguay) Javier Hernandez (Mexico) and James Rodriguez (Colombia) to name a few.

    The Copa América Centenario is anticipated to make history with some of the biggest encounters in football. Top international teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Columbia, and more will face off each other on the field, all playing for the coveted trophy specially designed for the tournament.

    Sony sports cluster executive VP and business head Prasana Krishnan said, “This summer promises sports history in the making with the Copa América Centenario, a once in a lifetime event which sports fans will not want to miss. The acquisition of the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa América Centenario in India and the Indian Sub-Continent re-validates the SONY Sports cluster’s leadership in being the destination for football fans.”

    “Copa América Centenario, South America’s most prestigious international competition, alongside UEFA EURO 2016, Europe’s biggest tournament on our network will undoubtedly capture the interest of every football fan. During the event, viewers will see the currently ranked top ten International teams with some of the world’s greatest football players in an amazing line-up of matches from both Copa America Centenario and UEFA EURO 2016 on the Sony sports cluster”, he added.

    Customarily contested by the 10 CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) nations and two outside invitees, the 2016 Copa América will have 10 South American national teams joined by six 

  • SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa America Centenario in India and the Indian sub-continent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). This year’s tournament being held in the United States of America from June 3 to June 26 will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD channels.

    As part of the rights package, the network will air all 32 matches of the tournament played across 10 venues in the United States. In addition to the live coverage, Sony ESPN channels will also broadcast the highlights of matches during the tournament. On the digital front, consumers will be able to livestream all the matches on Sony LIV.

    The Copa América Centenario is a historical once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating 100 years of the Copa América and is a special edition between the usual four-year cycles of the Copa América tournaments. For the first time since its inception, the tournament will be held outside of South America and feature the top star players from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean like Lionel Messi (Argentina), Luis Suarez (Uruguay) Javier Hernandez (Mexico) and James Rodriguez (Colombia) to name a few.

    The Copa América Centenario is anticipated to make history with some of the biggest encounters in football. Top international teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Columbia, and more will face off each other on the field, all playing for the coveted trophy specially designed for the tournament.

    Sony sports cluster executive VP and business head Prasana Krishnan said, “This summer promises sports history in the making with the Copa América Centenario, a once in a lifetime event which sports fans will not want to miss. The acquisition of the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa América Centenario in India and the Indian Sub-Continent re-validates the SONY Sports cluster’s leadership in being the destination for football fans.”

    “Copa América Centenario, South America’s most prestigious international competition, alongside UEFA EURO 2016, Europe’s biggest tournament on our network will undoubtedly capture the interest of every football fan. During the event, viewers will see the currently ranked top ten International teams with some of the world’s greatest football players in an amazing line-up of matches from both Copa America Centenario and UEFA EURO 2016 on the Sony sports cluster”, he added.

    Customarily contested by the 10 CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) nations and two outside invitees, the 2016 Copa América will have 10 South American national teams joined by six 

  • Sony Kix acquires LaLiga rights; strengthens position in football broadcasting

    Sony Kix acquires LaLiga rights; strengthens position in football broadcasting

    MUMBAI: Scoring a hat-trick in the sports broadcasting industry, Sony Kix has acquired the telecast rights to LaLiga, the premier division of the Spanish football league system, for a period of three years.

     

    It may be recalled that the channel recently acquired and added the telecast rights of the FA Cup and the Serie A to its line-up of prime football properties.

     

    The broadcaster will exclusively telecast the league across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Maldives through the three-year deal.

     

    With this addition to its line-up of flagship sports properties, Sony Kix will look at consolidating its position as the home of international and club football across the Indian sub-continent. The league hosts some of the biggest names international and club level football like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Antoine Griezmann, Neymar, Gareth Bale and Luis Suárez amongst many more.

     

     Speaking on the development Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan said, “We are extremely thrilled to be associated with this pre-eminent league and this move opens up a bold new chapter in our operations as we go on to spearhead the football-led genre in our industry. The extended offering of matches coupled with holistic recaps of the league, will position our network as the premier destination for unparalleled football viewing experience.”

     

     LaLiga president Javier Tebas added, “We are extremely happy to start this association with MSM and proud to announce the Sony sports channels as our new home for the upcoming seasons in this region. MSM has been known for its aggressive and innovative marketing and the differentiated treatment of sports coverage on its network and we are looking forward to joining hands with them to bring the LaLiga matches to fans in the region.”

     

     LaLiga, the elite division in professional Spanish league football, kicks-off the 2015 season on the weekend of 23 August, 2015. This will be the 85th season of the top-tier Spanish football league, featuring some of the best teams and players in international football.

  • SAFF gets going in Goa

    SAFF gets going in Goa

    MUMBAI: The South Asian Film Festival (SAFF) got going in Goa yesterday with the screening of the Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore-starrer Kashmir ki Kali, screened as a special tribute to the late star.


    The festival was declared open by Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat in the presence of Randhir Kapoor and Rajeev Kapoor, the scions of Kapoor family among representatives of South Asian Countries who were present at the ceremony.


    Randhir Kapoor was felicitated by the state chief secretary Sanjay Srivastava in honour of the contribution of the Kapoor family to Indian Cinema. “Cinema knows no boundaries. Its just an emotion that we create. We should have lot of cultural exchange amongst the south Asian nations,” said Kapoor responding to the felicitation.


    The festival‘s theme is ‘Dissolving Boundaries‘ – spreading the message of togetherness and oneness amongst the South Asian Countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.


    Bhutan is the focus country for SAFF 2011. The annual festival will also pay tribute to Bangladeshi film maker Tareque Masud who was one of the two prime witnesses of the International War Crime Tribunal. Incidentally, Tareque was killed in a fatal bus accident near Dhaka on 26 August.

  • BBC on FM in Maldives for first time

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster BBC World Service’s English radio programmes can now be heard on FM for the first time in the Maldives capital of Male.

    BBC World Service news bulletins, sporting and current affairs programmes will broadcast daily on Capital Radio 95.6 following the signing of a new agreement with their owner Asna Maldives Pvt Ltd.

    BBC business development manager for the South Asia Pacific region Helen Kathuria said, “The BBC has a strong tradition of loyal listenership in this region so it’s great that we can reach yet more people in crystal clear FM quality sound. We are also delighted to be partnering with one of the first private radio broadcasters in the Maldives.”

    Asna Maldives MD Abdulla Nasheed added, “We are proud to be associated with the world’s leading international radio broadcaster and thrilled that our listeners can now enjoy the BBC’s unique mix of news, sports and feature programmes across the city.”