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Tag: Netflix

  • Netflix targets October 2015 for Spain launch

    Netflix targets October 2015 for Spain launch

    MUMBAI: Internet TV network Netflix will launch in Spain this October. 

     

    Internet users in Spain will be able to subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a broad selection of TV series and movies in high-definition or even Ultra HD 4K on nearly any Internet-connected screen. 

     

    At launch, the Netflix offering will include such original series as Marvel’s Daredevil, Sense8, Bloodline, Grace and Frankie, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Marco Polo as well as documentaries like Virunga, Mission Blue and docuseries Chef’s Table along with various stand-up comedy specials.

     

    Additionally, younger viewers will find a wide selection of programming for kids. Netflix is fully localized, offering subtitles and dubbing. 

     

    Viewers will continuously be offered new titles. Among the shows scheduled for launch later this year are Netflix Original series Narcos, telling the story of the drug trade and Pablo Escobar’s cartel, and Club de Cuervos, a comedy around a family feud after the owner of a professional soccer team dies, as well as Marvel’s Jessica Jones, the second of four Marvel series that will be available exclusively on Netflix, leading up to the mini-series event The Defenders, which reunites characters from the previous four. 

     

    Netflix members can also look forward to the first Netflix Original feature films, with announced titles including Beasts of No Nation, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon The Green Legend, Jadotville and The Ridiculous 6. 

     

    Netflix will be available at launch on smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, computers and a range of Internet-capable game consoles and set-top boxes. 

  • HOOQ targets tier I Indian cities as early adopters; plans original series

    HOOQ targets tier I Indian cities as early adopters; plans original series

    MUMBAI: Come June and India will witness its first subscription based video-on-demand platform HOOQ.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the platform will compete with over the top (OTT) players like Hotstar and Ditto TV amongst others. As a major differentiating factor, HOOQ will be providing content that has not been available before to Indian consumers and intends to target tier I cities in the country as early adopters. However, the app will be available to all smart phone users nationally. The service also offers content for all age groups.

     

    The OTT player is in the Indian market for the long haul. With a view to gather substantial number of users in the coming years, HOOQ is also looking at starting its own original series, a la Netflix, which had launched its exclusive made-for-web series House of Cards.

     

    In a conversation with this website about its readiness to improve the platform, HOOQ India head Krishnan Rajagopalan said, “We are constantly going to be evolving the product and the content based on user feedback. This is very much a company philosophy and it’s really up to the user to give us feedback. The better feedback you give, the better the product will be.”

     

    When queried whether the Indian audience is ready for a particular genre, which has more traction Rajagopalan said, “We are going to have different categories. The app will have all Indian languages and feeds and by the time we launch it will be more Indianised. It will be much more relevant, have genres that matter, top action, top rom-com; we will have it all.”

     

    Talking about the Indian market, Rajagopalan said that since India was a fascinating market, there are bound to be challenges. “This is a first product in its category. I don’t think there is anybody doing what we are doing, which is to offer premium content that is not there on ad supported platforms. So we are spending a lot of money, tens of millions on marketing, content and technology. A major challenge is that there will be a lot of consumer education required in the early days and we clearly need to have the right content. We need to have the right distribution partnerships to make it as convenient to the consumer as possible. Not necessarily a challenge, but there are steps that we need to take before we become ubiquitous.”

     

    While the company has not yet chalked out its marketing strategy, plans are to take ‘Go To Market’ (GTM) marketing route when the service’s commercial launch takes place in June.

     

    Speaking about Warner Bros’ association with HOOQ, Warner Bros general manager N Muthuram said, “Singtel will have a strategic presence in the Indian market with their partnership with Airtel. While we are licensed to HOOQ, we also have other local partners and we have been providing content to others as well. The deal with HOOQ is to have access to all of the content that is relevant to the consumer.”

     

    As reported earlier, the platform will have 10,000 movies and series from Hollywood, Bollywood and regional content for just Rs 199 a month. HOOQ is a joint venture with Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. It will provide content from international as well as local players and has already partnered with 60 local partners.

  • 44% adults used Internet TV via STBS in the last 12 months: Ofcom

    44% adults used Internet TV via STBS in the last 12 months: Ofcom

    MUMBAI: Close to 44 per cent (over four in ten) adults in the UK had used an internet connected TV – most via set-top boxes such as TiVo or Sky – in the last 12 months. Some 34 per cent had watched catch-up TV services via connected TVs or set-top boxes.

     

    Moreover, Ofcom’s research into UK audience attitudes to content on TV and radio showed that households surveyed owned two TV sets on average.

     

    This research covered what people find offensive on TV and radio, their awareness of and attitudes towards regulation and their understanding of advertising and product placement.

     

    The report also includes research on consumers’ access to and views on internet ‘connected devices’, which are used to watch services like the BBC iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player, YouTube and Netflix.

     

    The research further found that nearly half (49 per cent) of adult TV viewers felt the quality of TV programmes had stayed the same in the past year, three in ten (30 per cent) felt they had got worse, and around 16 per cent said TV had improved.

     

    Among those who thought programmes had got worse, the top reasons were repeats (57 per cent), a lack of variety (43 per cent), a general lack of quality (32 per cent) and too many reality shows (30 per cent). Among those who said programmes had improved, the top reasons were a wider range of shows (50 per cent), improved quality (48 per cent), more entertaining shows (37 per cent) and better dramas (33 per cent).

     

    Offensive material on TV

     

    Close to 79 per cent people had not been offended by anything on TV in the past year. However, one in five had found something offensive, rising to a third (33 per cent) for people aged 65 and over. Those aged between 16 and 24 were least likely to be offended (nine per cent compared with 33 per cent of over 65s).

     

    Of those who had been offended, bad language (44 per cent), violence (41 per cent) and sexual content (41 per cent) were the top concerns. Adults below 45 years old were more likely to say they had been offended by some type of discrimination (29 per cent compared with 19 per cent of over-45s).

     

    On average, about half of all people thought current levels of sex (57 per cent), violence (47 per cent) and swearing (52 per cent) on TV were acceptable. Four in ten felt there was too much violence (43 per cent) and swearing (40 per cent), while nearly three in ten (28 per cent) said there was too much sex.

     

    Attitudes differed by age: younger adults were more likely to feel there is an acceptable amount of violence, swearing and sex, while older adults tended to feel there is too much.

     

    High awareness of regulation

     

    The vast majority of adult TV viewers (90 per cent) knew about the 9 pm watershed, with over half (57 per cent) saying about 9 pm was the right time while around a quarter (27 per cent) said the watershed should be later.

     

    The report found a clear understanding about what broadcast content is regulated, with over eight in ten (82 per cent) adults aware that TV is regulated. Most adults felt the current levels of TV and radio regulation were about right (61 per cent), or did not have an opinion (18 per cent for TV and 33 per cent for radio).

     

    The research showed that 14 per cent of adult TV viewers could identify the ‘P’ symbol, which is designed to let viewers know the channel, or the programme-maker, has been paid to include products in that programme.

     

    Protecting viewers

     

    Ofcom has a duty to protect viewers from harmful and offensive material on TV and radio, as well as ‘TV like’ content on internet connected devices. When broadcasters break the rules, Ofcom takes robust enforcement action and has issued guidance to broadcasters on how they should enforce the watershed.

     

    The majority of viewing today is live on the TV and many of the programmes delivered over the internet to connected devices in the UK were first aired on TV; because of this, they are subject to Ofcom’s rules.

     

    However, people now watch programmes in a variety of ways, and on different devices, which poses challenges for parents and regulators. Hence, Ofcom is working with government, other regulators and industry to bring about a common framework for media standards.

  • Netflix orders new season of 80s sitcom ‘Full House’

    Netflix orders new season of 80s sitcom ‘Full House’

    MUMBAI: Netflix has ordered a 13-episode season of a new multi-camera comedy from Warner Horizon Television, Miller-Boyett Productions and Jeff Franklin Productions. Fuller House is the long-awaited sequel to the iconic hit series Full House.

     

    Created by original Full House creator Jeff Franklin, Fuller House will premiere exclusively across all Netflix territories in 2016.

     

    Candace Cameron-Bure, Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber are set to star in Fuller House, with fellow Full House star John Stamos set to produce and reprise his original role of Uncle Jesse as a guest star in the new show. Discussions with Full House stars Bob Saget, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Dave Coulier and Lori Loughlin regarding guest appearances in Fuller House are ongoing.

     

    In Fuller House, the adventures that began in 1987 on Full House continue, with veterinarian D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Cameron-Bure) pregnant and recently widowed, living in San Francisco. D.J.’s younger sister/aspiring musician Stephanie Tanner (Sweetin) and D.J.’s lifelong best friend/fellow single mother KimmyGibbler (Barber), along with Kimmy’s feisty teenage daughter Ramona, all move in to help take care of D.J.’s two boys — the rebellious 12-year-old J.D. and neurotic 7-year-old Max — and her soon-to-arrive baby.

     

    “As big fans of the original Full House, we are thrilled to be able to introduce Fuller House’s new narrative to existing fans worldwide, who grew up on the original, as well as a new generation of global viewers that have grown up with the Tanners in syndication,” said Netflix vice president of original content Cindy Holland.

     

    Executive producers Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Jeff Franklin said, “The continued support of Full House fans of all ages for the last 28 years has been astounding. It is an honor and a thrill to catch up with these beloved characters and explore their lives today. The love you saw on the show was real. The cast has remained a loving family off screen all these years. We are as excited as our fans to finally bring Full House back to life.”

  • Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix show ‘The Get Down’ gets its leading lady

    Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix show ‘The Get Down’ gets its leading lady

    MUMBAI: Following on the heels of Claire Danes, Nicole Kidman and Carey Mulligan, Baz Luhrmann has discovered his new leading lady, who will make her acting debut in The Get Down, Luhrmann’s new Netflix Original Series set to debut in 2016. 

     

    Herizen Guardiola will star as Mylene Cruz, a shining, tenacious girl with a voice from God who dreams of disco stardom from the confines of her family’s fiercely religious church walls. An 18-year-old singer/songwriter, Herizen will make her acting debut in The Get Down. 

     

    Says Luhrmann, “So many really talented actors were seen to play the lead female role of Mylene Cruz, daughter of Reverend Ramon Cruz and niece of Papa Filipe Fuerte Cruz in The Get Down. It’s always thrilling to find a fresh unknown talent, particularly one who is not only a terrific actor but a magnificent vocalist. The entire The Get Down team welcome Herizen Guardiola into our story.” 

     

    Previously announced cast members include Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, Skylan Brooks and Tremaine Brown, Jr. 

     

    The Get Down will focus on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped – dying. Consigned to rubble, a rag-tag crew of South Bronx teenagers are nothings and nobodies with no one to shelter them – except each other, armed only with verbal games, improvised dance steps, some magic markers and spray cans. From Bronx tenements, to the SoHo art scene; from CBGBs to Studio 54 and even the glass towers of the just-built World Trade Center, The Get Down is a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco – told through the lives and music of the South Bronx kids who changed the city, and the world…forever. 

     

    Luhrmann, will direct the first two episodes and the season finale and serve as executive producer. The series is also executive produced by Catherine Martin, Paul Watters, Thomas Kelly, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Shawn Ryan and Marney Hochman. 

     

    The 13-episode music-driven drama from Sony Pictures Television will debut in all Netflix territories in 2016.

  • Netflix, Silverback Films’ ‘Planet Earth’ sequel to release in 2019

    Netflix, Silverback Films’ ‘Planet Earth’ sequel to release in 2019

    MUMBAI: Come 2019 and Netflix in collaboration with Silverback Films and WWF will premiere across all its territories – Our Planet, a new eight part natural history series made by the creators of the critically and popularly acclaimed series Planet Earth.

     

    The ambitious four year project — the largest of its kind ever attempted — will take viewers into never-before-filmed wilderness areas from the ice caps and deep ocean to deserts and remote forests, introducing them to the most precious species and places that must withstand the impact of humanity so generations to come can enjoy the bounties of the natural world. Using the latest in 4K camera technology, the series and a range of specially produced storytelling for multi-media platforms will bring millions of people into intimate contact with some of the world’s rarest animals and most precious natural habitats.

     

    The series is being produced by Silverback Films, led by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, who created Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and Blue Planet for the BBC, as well as the Disneynature films Earth, Bears, African Cats and Chimpanzee.

     

    WWF, the world’s leading conservation organization with operations in more than 100 countries and over five million members, is providing the Silverback team unparalleled access to its projects in protected areas around the world and will collaborate on multi-media storytelling across its web and other platforms.

     

    “Netflix is proud to be the global home for perhaps Silverback’s most ambitious project to date. The Planet projects have enjoyed great success on Netflix and have helped launch new technologies for viewing at home. We think watching Our Planet, fully on demand in 4K will be an unforgettable experience for our members,” said Netflix Original Documentaries vice president Lisa Nishimura.

     

    “Our Planet is going to raise the bar for natural history landmarks. We will reveal the most amazing sights on Earth and show them in ways they have never been seen before. Partnering with Netflix and WWF gives us the ability to reach and enthuse global audiences with the wonder and importance of the natural world,” added Silverback Films executive producer Alastair Fothergill.

     

    “Our Planet will inspire millions of people around the world by showcasing the planet’s most precious species and most fragile habitats through a visionary series and cutting edge multimedia storytelling. At this critical time for global conservation we are honored to work with Silverback and Netflix on this completely unique collaboration,” said WWF executive producer Colin Butfield.

  • Netflix to release Ricky Gervais’ film ‘Special Correspondents’

    Netflix to release Ricky Gervais’ film ‘Special Correspondents’

    MUMBAI: Special Correspondents, a new original feature film written and directed by Ricky Gervais and starring Eric Bana and Gervais, will debut worldwide on Netflix next year.

     

    With Special Correspondents, Gervais has written a hilarious, modern comedy in which Bana plays a struggling New York based radio journalist, whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career. With his job on the line he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in the heart of Manhattan.

     

    “Special Correspondents is classic Ricky Gervais: smart social satire with heart. It’s the kind of great grown-up comedy that studios rarely make anymore, one that’s perfect for Netflix members around the world,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

     

    Gervais added, “Having shaken up the TV industry, Netflix is about to do the same to Hollywood. It’s great to be part of the changing future. Ted Sarandos is the new Godfather of entertainment and he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

     

    The film is a co-production between Bron Studios and Unanimous Entertainment. Ricky Gervais, Unanimous’ Chris Coen, Bron’s Aaron L. Gilbert, Manuel Munz and Larry Sanitsky will produce.

     

    Creator and star of The Office, Extras, and Derek, Gervais has won three Golden Globes, two primetime Emmys and seven BAFTAS. The Office is the most successful British comedy of all time, shown in more than 90 countries with seven remakes. Gervais, an award winning stand-up comedian, has hosted the Golden Globes three times and has written, directed and acted in the films Cemetery Junction and The Invention of Lying.

     

    Bana is one of Australia’s best known actors and began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before winning critical acclaim in the biographical crime film Chopper. Since then, Bana has starred in such films asMunich, Black Hawk Down, Hulk, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Hanna, and Star Trek. He has received Australia’s highest film and TV awards for his performances and will next be seen in director Jim Sheridan’s The Secret Scripture, Guy Ritchie’sKnights of the Round Table: King Arthur and The Finest Hours.

     

  • Anne Sweeney & Microsoft’s Brad Smith joins Netflix board

    Anne Sweeney & Microsoft’s Brad Smith joins Netflix board

    MUMBAI: Netflix, Inc has added former Disney Media Networks co-chair and Disney-ABC Television president Anne Sweeney, and Microsoft Corp executive vice president and general counsel, legal and corporate affairs Brad Smith to its board.

     

    With this the total number of directors are now nine.

     

    “We look forward to benefitting from Brad and Anne’s perspective as we continue to build our global Internet TV network,” said Netflix co-founder and chief executive Reed Hastings.

     

    Sweeney’s entertainment experience spans more than three decades including senior roles at the Walt Disney Co., 21st Century Fox and Viacom. Until she stepped down in January, she oversaw Disney’s cable, broadcast and satellite properties around the world since 2004. Previously, she helped establish and served as FX Networks chairman and CEO, part of the Fox Entertainment Group of 21st Century Fox. Earlier in her career, she spent more than 12 years at Viacom’s Nickelodeon network.

     

    Smith, who has served as Microsoft’s general counsel since 2002, has amassed broad global technology and public policy experience since joining the company in 1993. He spent three years leading the company’s legal and corporate affairs team in Europe and five years as deputy general counsel responsible for such teams outside the US. His area of expertise includes competition law, intellectual property, government surveillance and privacy.

  • Netflix to premiere Chris Tucker’s first-ever stand-up comedy special

    Netflix to premiere Chris Tucker’s first-ever stand-up comedy special

    MUMBAI: Actor and comedian Chris Tucker will headline his first full length stand-up comedy special, Chris Tucker Live, premiering exclusively on Netflix on 10 July. Tucker’s stand-up comedy performance will be available to stream in all territories where Netflix is available.

     

    In the special, Tucker returns to the stage he loves and showcases his mind-blowing comedic chops, from his pitch perfect impersonations to his singular on-stage physicality, as he shares his experiences from childhood to the big time. The special was filmed at the Historic Fox Theatre in Tucker’s hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

     

    “Chris Tucker is a true global movie star and a one-of-a-kind talent whose remarkable energy, delivery and original style make him one of the funniest comedians of our time. We cannot wait to share his distinct and hilarious voice with our members across the globe,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

     

    “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Netflix, one of the true global leaders in entertainment, on my first comedy special. Before people started seeing me in movies, I was doing standup. It’s always been a part of me, and now I’m excited to share it with my fans around the world,” added Tucker.

     

    Chris Tucker Live marks the first project that Tucker has starred in and produced through his own company, Chris Tucker Entertainment, bringing on board Phil Joanou to direct. 

     

    Tucker is an international award-winning actor and comedian best known for playing the role of Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series. He became a favorite on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Comedy Jam in the 1990s and came to prominence in his first starring role, the 1995 film cult classic Friday starring opposite Ice Cube. In 1997, Tucker was an executive producer and starred in the hit movie, Money Talks with Charlie Sheen.

     

    Chris Tucker co-starred in the 2013 Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook with Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. To date, Tucker has starred in films that have collectively grossed over one billion dollars in box office sales worldwide. Tucker, who is currently on his successful 2015 US comedy tour, has received rave reviews from all over the world, including Asia, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Middle East. Outside of comedy, Tucker is a dedicated humanitarian, spending much of his spare time traveling around the world, doing philanthropic work to make a difference through the Chris Tucker Foundation.

     

  • Netflix expands original TV series portfolio for kids with five new shows

    Netflix expands original TV series portfolio for kids with five new shows

    MUMBAI: Working with award-winning global partners, Netflix is adding five new animated and live-action comedy series to its selection of high-quality kids and family entertainment.

     

    “We’ve seen great characters and rich storytelling work for a global audience time and time again. That’s why we’re proud to be working with some of the industry’s best producers and animators on these shows and we can’t wait for kids and families all over the world to get to know these stories,” said Netflix vice president of global independent content Erik Barmack.

     

    The new shows are Danger Mouse, Inspector Gadget, Some Assembly Required, Bottersnikes & Gumbles and Super 4.

     

    Danger Mouse will release in Spring 2016 and the new animated series features all the classic characters, catchphrases and comedy that made it an 80’s cult favorite. Originally a loose parody of British spy fiction, this new Danger Mouse series will feature British actor and comedian, Stephen Fry, as Colonel K. Netflix will premiere the show in North America, Latin America, Nordics, Benelux and Japan with all other Netflix territories launching at a later date.

     

    Inspector Gadget is back in an all-new CGI animated series this March. The 26-episode series, produced by DHX Media, premieres exclusively in the US on Netflix and will join the service at a later date in Latin America, the UK, Ireland, Benelux, France and the Nordics – after the initial broadcast in each country.

     

    As the new owner of Knickknack Toys, fourteen-year old Jarvis Raines hires a group of friends from school to help him create awesome new toys. Following the teens’ comedic day-to-day adventures, Some Assembly Required – the live-action series created by Dan Signer and Howard Nemetz and produced by Thunderbird Films, stars Kolton Stewart, and Charlie Storwick. Netflix will premiere the series this summer in all Netflix territories this year, except in Canada, where it is currently the #1 show on YTV.

     

    Bottersnikes & Gumbles is a fast-paced community comedy series that follows the adventures of three young Gumbles -Tink, Bounce and Willi. This new CGI-animated series is created by Cheeky Little, Mighty Nice and CAKE and co-commissioned by Netflix, BBC and Channel 7 Australia. The first 13 episode season will debut exclusively on Netflix around the world in 2016, with the UK and Australia launching at a later date.

     

    In addition, Super 4, a brand new CGI animated series inspired by PlayMobil, makes its US premiere in April on Netflix. Super 4 follows four main characters – Alex the Knight, Ruby the Pirate, Agent Gene, and Twinkle the Fairy – as they explore the distinct islands of their planet, fight bad guys, and have fun along the way.

     

    In 2011, Netflix launched a dedicated section for kids under 12 years old featuring TV shows and movies from great partners like PBS, Disney Channel, DreamWorks, Cartoon Network, Mattel, Hasbro, Lego and Scholastic, all in a commercial free environment. In 2012, Netflix and the Walt Disney Company signed an industry-first agreement making Netflix the Pay TV home of all live action and animated feature films released by Disney theatrically beginning in 2016.  Additionally, all DreamWorks feature films are now available on Netflix in the Pay TV window. DreamWorks is also creating 300 hours of original kids shows exclusively for Netflix, including Turbo F.A.S.T., All Hail King Julien, Puss In Boots, Dragons and DinoTrux.