ITV

Tag: Middle East

  • NSS – 8 satellite launches Friday

    NSS – 8 satellite launches Friday

    MUMBAI: The Sea Launch team has initiated a countdown at its equatorial launch site. This is in preparation for the launch of the NSS-8 communications satellite for SES New Skies which will take place tomorrow 26 January 2007.

    The NSS-8 satellite is a Boeing 702 spacecraft that carries 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders. It is designed to replace the existing NSS-703 satellite as the centerpiece of New Skies’ strategic Indian Ocean contribution to SES’ global communications network.

    NSS-8 will support a range of functions, including corporate communications, Broadband Internet services and broadcast applications to the Indian sub continent, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Designed for a 15-year lifespan, the satellite will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit.
     

  • CNN to air defining moments of the year

    CNN to air defining moments of the year

    MUMBAI: CNN will on three consecutive days beginning 30 December offer a look back at 2006; from the stories that dominated the news agenda and an in-depth review of how CNN reported these stories in its award winning style. Defining Moments 2006 uses comment and analysis from CNN’s international correspondents to reflect and go behind the stories that as the year draws to a close made 2006 such a memorable one.

    Conflict shaped much of 2006, and Defining Moments charts the increasing tensions in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon and Iraq. The abduction of two Israeli soldiers as broken by CNN’s Anthony Mills on July 12th marked the beginning of round the clock coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah war that dominated global news for a month.

    The special looks back at the events that took place from within Israel and Lebanon as well as the countries connected to the conflict during that volatile time. CNN also documents the 7/11 Mumbai train bombings which killed nearly 200 innocent people, features spiralling violence between Sunnis and Shiias in Iraq, witnessed through the eyes of CNN correspondents on the ground in Baghdad and across the Iraqi nation.

    From insurgents and rocket attacks to the nuclear club with two potentially new members; 2006 saw CNN’s Dan Rivers reporting live from a tense Korean border. The programme relives the unfolding of both North Korea and Iran’s nuclear ambitions as reported throughout the year.

    On a lighter note, 2006 is also remembered for such stories as the delisting of Pluto as one of our planets, the football World Cup, more dope than cycling at the Tour de France and the bowing out of the internationally loved Andre Agassi from the tennis circuit. The special revisits these stories and shares the highs, and lows, that characterised 2006.

  • Zee inks deal with Media Overseas for launch in Indian Ocean Islands and Africa

    Zee inks deal with Media Overseas for launch in Indian Ocean Islands and Africa

    MUMBAI: Zee Network has tied up with Media Overseas, subsidiary of Canal+ Group, for the launch on their multi channel satellite pay-television platform, for three of its channels Zee TV, Zee Cinema and Zee Muzic.

    The service will be available on three Media Overseas platforms including, Canal Sat Reunion in Reunion Island, Canal Sat Maurice in Mauritius and Canal Sat Horizons in more than 20 countries in Africa such as Senegal, Cameroon, Togo, Mauritiana, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, informs an official release.

    The service was launched commercially on 14 December for Indian Ocean Islands including Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mayotte and Camoros and shall be available from 15 January 2007 onwards for French speaking countries in rest of Africa. The cinema and TV channels shall be available with sub titles in French.

    The Zee channels will be uplinked on NSS7 and Eutelsat W2 from the playout centre of Canal in France.

    International Business CEO Dheeraj Kapuria said, “We take great pleasure in announcing the tie up with Media Overseas for the launch of three Zee channels with French sub titles for Zee TV and Zee Cinema. French is the main language in many countries in this region and by bringing Zee channels with French sub title, not only our proximity with the viewer is closer than ever, but also opens a new market for us.”

    “Based on extensive research and feedback, we decided to launch this service for the segment which has great fondness for the content from Indian sub continent but a gap exists due to language barrier.”

    “After Multichoice, with whom we already have a tie up, Canal Sat is the next major pay television platform in the region and through this tie up Zee has widened its reach, its products in Africa and enforces its position as market leader.”

    In continuation of offering services bringing closer to viewer through specific feeds for each region and sub title or dubbing in local language, this is yet another expansion of Zee’s reach in International market. Zee has in the past one year launched its sub titled or dubbed services in Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Middle East and announced plans for entry into China, adds the release.

  • 3PL market revenues estimated to grow to $140 million by 2012: Frost and Sullivan research

    3PL market revenues estimated to grow to $140 million by 2012: Frost and Sullivan research

    MUMBAI: Frost and Sullivan’s Automotive and Transportation Practice South Asia and Middle East will be hosting an analyst briefing webinar on 15 December from 11 am to 12 noon, on rapid growth of organised retailing – driving the Indian retail 3PL market.

    The booming Indian economy is leading to the burgeoning purchasing power of the consumers and the rapid growth of the retail sector, especially the organised retailing segment. Entry of several international retailing companies, along with domestic major industrial groups focusing on the retail sector is driving this growth.

    However, success in this competitive and dynamic sector depends on achieving an efficient logistics and supply chain, which could be provided by professional logistics service providers such as the 3PL companies. The 3PL market revenues in this sector are estimated to grow from $49.5 million in 2005 to $140 million by 2012, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.0 percent, asserts an official release.

    While the market is continually expanding, 3PL service providers in India need to address a few challenges such as shortage of skilled manpower and highly diverse geographic conditions to gain maximum share in this market.

    The number of participants in this market has grown to be more than 400 in 2005. The Indian retail 3PL industry can be divided into three distinct tiers: national 3PL companies with nationwide presence, regional 3PL companies with a strong presence in one or two regions, and local 3PL companies with small or remote presence.

    Frost and Sullivan’s research has identified that the largest market segment for 3PL services as of 2005 is transportation, followed by freight forwarding.

    Frost and Sullivan Automotive and Transportation Practice industry analyst Srinath Manda said, “In this robust environment, it is important for service providers to customise their service offerings coupled with competitive rates in order to truly capitalize this opportunity.”

    Recognising the importance gained by the 3PL market in the Indian retail sector, this briefing is structured to address retail 3PL market definitions and segmentation, market trends and growth drivers, market size and forecasts, end-user analysis, industry profile and major participants, industry challenges, and future opportunities, adds the release.

  • France launches an international news channel

    France launches an international news channel

    MUMBAI: With the aim of offering a viewpoint different from global news channels CNN and BBC the French government has launched its international news channel France 24. The channel has two feeds – French and English.

    The channel’s CEO Alain de Pouzilhac ws quoted in media repotrs saying that the channel will focus on in-depth reporting and debate, culture and the art of living. Initial coverage will extend to 75 million households in over 90 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and should expand to North America and Asia in the near future.

    The aim of France 24 is to offer a ‘third way’. This would be an alternative to the bipolar discourse by Anglo-Saxon BBC World and CNN on one hand and Middle Eastern Al-Jazeera on the other. Media reports add that although the France 24 website is trilingual in French, English and Arabic television programmes in Arabic will only begin from the middle of next year. Spanish shows will launch in 2009.

  • VSNL plans cable link to India, Middle East, Western Europe

    VSNL plans cable link to India, Middle East, Western Europe

    MUMBAI: Tata group company Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) has inked an MoU with global telecom firms to construct a new submarine cable linking India, Middle East and Western Europe (IMEWE). 

    The company has joined hands with Etisalat, Saudi Telecom, Telecom Egypt, Telecom Italia Sparkle to work jointly on the new submarine cable.

    The cable will connect the major countries in the region including India, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Italy and France to provide interconnection facilities with several existing and emerging systems in the regions.

    The telecom consortium expects to get the IMEWE cable ready for service by mid 2008. The construction contracts are expected to be being awarded by end 2006.

    The network, upon its commissioning, will provide high-speed connectivity to the Asian, Middle East, North & East Africa and Western Europe regions, and meet their exponentially growing bandwidth requirements.

  • Bennett Media Worldwide completes HD TV programming sales in Asia, Middle East

    Bennett Media Worldwide completes HD TV programming sales in Asia, Middle East

    MUMBAI: Bennett Media Worldwide (BMW), the global distribution operation for The Bennett Group, has completed multiple satellite television sales in Asia and the Middle East for a variety of the company’s High Definition (HD) reality programs.

    BMW president Paul Rich, announced the following deals:

    Fox Life has licensed satellite television rights in Japan for BMW’s The Wild Side (14 x 30’).

    Zee Network has picked up Bikini Destinations (30 x 30’) for satellite television in India.

    Hotvision has licensed Bikini Destinations (30 x 30’), Renegade Road (1 hour special), Billabong J-Bay: The Pure Line (1 hour special) and The Extremists in HD (30 minute special) for satellite television in Israel.

    Dogan TV has licensed HD TV satellite rights in Turkey for BMW’s Bikini Destinations (30 x 30’), The Wild Side (14 x 30’), The Extremists in HD (30 minute special), Billabong J-Bay: The Pure Line (1 hour special), Hawaiian Tropic Viva El Spring Break ‘05 (1 hour special), Boost Mobile Pro Snowboarding (1 hour special) and Renegade Road (1 hour special).

    Show TV picked up Bikini Destinations (30 x 30’) for standard definition satellite television broadcast in Turkey.

  • Reliance Communications’ Falcon Cable System becomes operational

    Reliance Communications’ Falcon Cable System becomes operational

    MUMBAI: Reliance Communications owned Falcon Undersea Cable System has started its operational from today unleashing international bandwidth between India, Middle East and Europe.

    The Flag Telecom Global Network would be the world’s largest undersea cable system covering 65,000 route kms, with the launch of Falcon. The current bandwidth on India-Europe route is controlled by VSNL and Bharti.

    “Falcon will have an equally powerful impact on the economic front, driving higher levels of trade, commerce and global integration,” Reliance ADA chairman Anil Ambani said.

    The vision at Reliance ADA group is to ‘give millions of ordinary people across the world the means to realize their dreams, the power to shape their destiny, the chance to fulfill their true and diverse potential,” Ambani added.

    The Flag Global Network bridges the distance between 35 diverse developed and developing economies, connecting the global economic hubs in USA, UK, Germany, France, Middle East, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Japan to name a few.

    The Company’s Flag is the first global network of this scale to provide integrated connectivity on one seamless network to the three highest growing regions; India, Middle East and China; in terms of international bandwidth demand.

  • Sony sets out IPO plans; seeks controlling stake in Ten Sports

    Sony sets out IPO plans; seeks controlling stake in Ten Sports

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India is stepping up plans for an initial public offering (IPO). The company is looking at a period after the cricket World Cup gets over in April 2007, a source close to the development says.

    The merchant bankers are yet to be appointed but the IPO plan is being actively pursued. “The board has approved an IPO plan, but subject to the capital market and other related conditions,” the source adds.

    Sony is also in active negotiations to buy a controlling stake in Ten Sports. SET India already has the rights to distribute the sports channel in India. “The negotiations are on to acquire a majority stake. But nothing has been finalised yet,” the source says.

    Ten Sports, it is learnt, is willing to part with a 50 per cent stake. No agreement has been reached on the valuation, the source says. It is worth noting here that a report put out by CNBC TV18 yesterday had said “the deal is believed to be worth between $ 55-60 million.”If this report proves correct, it would mean that Ten Sports has been valued at between $110 million to $120 million.

    When contacted, Taj Television Ltd CEO Chris McDonald said the company was in talks with several companies for strategic partnerships. “There is no deal at this stage,” he added. On being queried whether the company was willing to part with controlling stake, he refused to comment on specific details. Dubai-based Taj Networks owns and operates Ten Sports.

    SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta denied that anything definite on Ten Sports or the IPO had been decided at this stage.

    Zee Telefilms Ltd. (ZTL), which was in negotiations over a year back, has not resumed talks, a source in the company said. ZTL plans to bid for cricket rights like the ICC which will come up for grabs rather than buy a stake in Ten Sports, he says. Another reason that ZTL dropped any acquisition strategy in regards to Ten Sports is that the channel is already locked into a five-year distribution deal with the rival SET-Discovery One Alliance, the source adds. ZTL in any case runs Zee Sports, which is in the hunt for acquiring cricket properties to provide strength to the channel.

    Taj Entertainment has mandated Ambit Corporate Finance to find a strategic investor. With Harish Thawani’s Nimbus preparing to launch a sports channel, analysts say the acquisition price would continue to be high with more broadcasters chasing cricket properties.

    Ten Sports would require capital infusion even as the cricket properties it currently holds (Sri Lanka, West Indies and Pakistan boards) come up for renewal. By doing a distribution deal with Sony, it will be assured subscription revenues on a guaranteed basis.

    “The buying into Ten Sports would be seen as a good time before the IPO,” a market analyst said.

    SET India has also conducted a restructuring exercise which is seen as a precursor to a public float. The company recently acquired sister company SET Singapore. Though it had obtained clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for this purpose a few years back, it had deferred this process as the proposed restructuring transaction would have attracted capital gains tax.

    “Sony is keeping everything ready for the right time to hit the market,” the source says.

    SET India had obtained clearance from the FIPB to acquire 100 per cent shares of SET Singapore through a share swap transaction. According to the proposal, one share of SET India would be exchanged for 16 shares of SET Singapore. Post-restructuring, 60.65 per cent of the SET India equity would be with the Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) entities, 19.83 per cent with non-resident Indians and overseas corporate bodies, 7.68 per cent with foreign institutional investors and 11.84 per cent with Indian shareholders.

    Taj Television is 100 per cent owned by Bukhatir Investments Limited, a UAE-based conglomerate with interests in banking, construction, real estate, trading, information technology, sports and broadcasting. Ten Sports is a sports channel which broadcasts in the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan and Hong Kong.

  • Modavox forms strategic partnership with INDOlink

    Modavox forms strategic partnership with INDOlink

    MUMBAI: Phoenix-headquartered internet broadcasting pioneer in producing and syndicating online audio and video Modavox has formed a strategic business partnership with INDOlink, an internet media company serving Asian-Indians.

    As per the agreement, Modavox will deliver Internet pay-per-view, podcasts, on-demand movie trailers and streaming video advertising to targeted audiences including Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and India with an estimated audience size of 300 million people.

    INDOlink, the first ethnic niche portal serving Asian-Indians worldwide, specialises in providing valuable and exclusive content and services catering to the core needs of the Asian-Indian community. INDOlink owns internet portals such as PlanetBollywood.com and Nettravel.com.

    Modavox’s VP, Nathaniel Bradley, commented, “Our StreamSyndicate(TM) and StreamSafe(TM) technologies are ideal for security, control and promotion of INDOlink’s Internet content. INDOlink’s niche marketing focus provides an exciting, sizeable opportunity. The capabilities of our proprietary software provide new sources of revenue and business opportunities for advertisers and co