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Tag: Ralph Marshall

  • Marans discharged, SC ‘no’ to stay, hearing on Wed

    Marans discharged, SC ‘no’ to stay, hearing on Wed

    MUMBAI: The apex court, as of now, refused to grant a stay on the CBI court order discharging the accused in the 2G spectrum scam. The case will be heard again in the Supreme Court next Wednesday.

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had moved the court against the discharge of former union minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis case. The ED also urged the court not to release the properties of the accused attached in the case. 

    The designated court earlier discharged the former telecom minister, and Kalanithi, and others in the Maxis-Aircel deal case filed by enforcement directorate (ED) and the CBI, PTI reported. Special judge OP Saini, who is especially dealing with the 2G spectrum scam cases and related investigation, passed this order.

    All the accused had denied the charges levelled against them by the law-enforcement agencies. 

    The order may not have any bearing on T Ananda Krishnan and Ralph Marshall as the court already separated the trial against them.

    The CBI had registered a case Krishnan and Marshall, Astro All-Asia Networks, UK, Sun Direct TV, Maxis Communications, Malaysia, South Asia Entertainment Holdings, Malaysia and late JS Sarma (then additional secretary – telecom). They were charge sheeted for alleged offences to be punishable under section 120-B of IPC and under concerned provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

    ED had chargesheeted the Maran brothers, Kalanithi’s wife Kavery, South Asia FM managing director K Shanmugam and Sun Direct TV under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court discharged South Asia Entertainment Holdings and Sun Direct TV apart from the Maran brothers.

    Also Read:

    Aircel-Maxis case: 2G court seeks to speed trial against Marans

  • Marans discharged, SC ‘no’ to stay, hearing on Wed

    Marans discharged, SC ‘no’ to stay, hearing on Wed

    MUMBAI: The apex court, as of now, refused to grant a stay on the CBI court order discharging the accused in the 2G spectrum scam. The case will be heard again in the Supreme Court next Wednesday.

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had moved the court against the discharge of former union minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis case. The ED also urged the court not to release the properties of the accused attached in the case. 

    The designated court earlier discharged the former telecom minister, and Kalanithi, and others in the Maxis-Aircel deal case filed by enforcement directorate (ED) and the CBI, PTI reported. Special judge OP Saini, who is especially dealing with the 2G spectrum scam cases and related investigation, passed this order.

    All the accused had denied the charges levelled against them by the law-enforcement agencies. 

    The order may not have any bearing on T Ananda Krishnan and Ralph Marshall as the court already separated the trial against them.

    The CBI had registered a case Krishnan and Marshall, Astro All-Asia Networks, UK, Sun Direct TV, Maxis Communications, Malaysia, South Asia Entertainment Holdings, Malaysia and late JS Sarma (then additional secretary – telecom). They were charge sheeted for alleged offences to be punishable under section 120-B of IPC and under concerned provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

    ED had chargesheeted the Maran brothers, Kalanithi’s wife Kavery, South Asia FM managing director K Shanmugam and Sun Direct TV under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court discharged South Asia Entertainment Holdings and Sun Direct TV apart from the Maran brothers.

    Also Read:

    Aircel-Maxis case: 2G court seeks to speed trial against Marans

  • Astro eyes acquisition in India, posts strong Q2 net profit

    Astro eyes acquisition in India, posts strong Q2 net profit

    MUMBAI: Astro All Asia Networks Plc has identified India and China as its potential high-growth markets. And the route it wants to take is equity participation in local ventures.

    “We intend to invest and grow our multi-media distribution platforms and content assets — particularly in the key Bahasa, Indian, and Chinese language speaking markets where we hope to consummate joint-ventures with key players across the region in the coming months. We are confident that these major investments, underpinned by our strong balance sheet and robust cash flows from our Malaysian operations, will secure our long term future, and importantly, sustain revenues, profitability and cash flow growth for shareholders in the medium and long term,” Astro Group chief executive officier Ralph Marshall wrote yesterday to the company’s shareholders.

    The company is scouting for equity participation in joint venture with local partners in these large under-penetrated markets, Marshall said. In India, Astro has, along with NDTV and infotech company Value Labs, already bought out Radio Today’s FM radio operations under Red FM brand.

    “Following liberalisation of the radio sector by the Indian Government, we are hopeful of making new investments and thereby participate in further growth of the radio broadcasting sector in the country,” Marshall said.

    In China, an Astro joint venture has secured approval and a 25-year licence to offer advertising services in the country. The joint-venture, with Hangzhou-based Tiansheng Culture Media Ltd, will initially provide marketing and airtime management services to seven radio stations in Zhejiang Province, and subsequently expand its services to other media companies, particularly in the TV broadcasting segment, in other territories across China.

    Astro, meanwhile, has reported a 66 per cent increase in net profit to RM 73.04 million for its second quarter ended 31 July 2006, from RM 44 million a year ago. This was on back of the Fifa World Cup and a strong demand for its pay-TV and advertising services in the period, the company said.

    Revenue rose 14 per cent to RM 569.08 million from RM 499.32 million while earnings per share was 3.79 sen from 2.29 sen.

    During the period under review, the Group has generated free cash of RM 162.6 million. “Taking advantage of the strong financial position, the Group repaid most of its bank borrowings in January this year, and secured access to fresh long-term capital funds totalling USD 300 million on more attractive terms,” Astro said in a release.

    Having recently launched seven channels, Astro plans to add more and has RM 2 billion to fund its expansion plans.

  • Astro eyes acquisition in India, posts strong Q2 net profit

    MUMBAI: Astro All Asia Networks Plc has identified India and China as its potential high-growth markets. And the route it wants to take is equity participation in local ventures.

    “We intend to invest and grow our multi-media distribution platforms and content assets — particularly in the key Bahasa, Indian, and Chinese language speaking markets where we hope to consummate joint-ventures with key players across the region in the coming months. We are confident that these major investments, underpinned by our strong balance sheet and robust cash flows from our Malaysian operations, will secure our long term future, and importantly, sustain revenues, profitability and cash flow growth for shareholders in the medium and long term,” Astro Group chief executive officier Ralph Marshall wrote yesterday to the company’s shareholders.

    The company is scouting for equity participation in joint venture with local partners in these large under-penetrated markets, Marshall said. In India, Astro has, along with NDTV and infotech company Value Labs, already bought out Radio Today’s FM radio operations under Red FM brand.

    “Following liberalisation of the radio sector by the Indian Government, we are hopeful of making new investments and thereby participate in further growth of the radio broadcasting sector in the country,” Marshall said.

    In China, an Astro joint venture has secured approval and a 25-year licence to offer advertising services in the country. The joint-venture, with Hangzhou-based Tiansheng Culture Media Ltd, will initially provide marketing and airtime management services to seven radio stations in Zhejiang Province, and subsequently expand its services to other media companies, particularly in the TV broadcasting segment, in other territories across China.

    Astro, meanwhile, has reported a 66 per cent increase in net profit to RM 73.04 million for its second quarter ended 31 July 2006, from RM 44 million a year ago. This was on back of the Fifa World Cup and a strong demand for its pay-TV and advertising services in the period, the company said.

    Revenue rose 14 per cent to RM 569.08 million from RM 499.32 million while earnings per share was 3.79 sen from 2.29 sen.

    During the period under review, the Group has generated free cash of RM 162.6 million. “Taking advantage of the strong financial position, the Group repaid most of its bank borrowings in January this year, and secured access to fresh long-term capital funds totalling USD 300 million on more attractive terms,” Astro said in a release.

    Having recently launched seven channels, Astro plans to add more and has RM 2 billion to fund its expansion plans.
     

  • Sun TV in for a consortium with Red FM

    Sun TV in for a consortium with Red FM

    MUMBAI: Kalanithi Maran’s Sun TV Ltd. is expected to enter into a consortium with Red FM, the operators in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, for its radio business.

    The alliance will offer a joint platform to advertisers, making it a formidable bouquet against the biggies like Radio Mirchi and Radio City. Brand promotions will also be a part of this exercise, market sources say. Both Red FM and Sun TV Ltd were not available for comment till the time of filing this report.

    Malaysia’s Astro All Asia Networks plc, which is one of the three stakeholders in Red FM, recently said that it was in advanced discussions with strategic partners on various initiatives in India, including participation in a nationwide consortium of FM radio networks. “We expect to finalise partnership arrangements in the coming months. Appropriate announcements will be made in due course,” Astro Group CEO Ralph Marshall told reporters after the company’s AGM in Kuala Lumpur.

    Maran, who made an aggressive nationwide bid in the second phase of FM radio expansion, had excluded Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, the cities where Red FM operates. While Kal Radio (where Sun TV owns 89 per cent) would confine its operations to the southern language states, South Asia FM (Sun has 94.91 per cent equity) would carve out stations in the other regions.

    Joining hands with NDTV and Hyderabad-based Value Labs to acquire Red FM from Radio Today for around Rs 1.3 billion, Astro is eyeing a major presence in the FM sector in India. “We expect that we would have a 20 per cent interest in a nationwide radio licence as soon as we receive the approvals,” Marshall had told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

    Apart from Red FM, Astro is already managing two FM radio stations in Kolkata through AMSI (Airtime Marketing & Sales India). The company, working with its local Indian partners Power107.8 FM and Aamar 106.2 FM, provides studio facilities and airtime sales and marketing services to the two FM radio stations in Kolkata.

    Sun TV Ltd, which raised Rs 6.03 billion through an initial public offering (IPO), has bet big on radio to scale up revenues. A consortium with Red FM would particularly help Sun in the newer markets, analysts say. In the southern language markets, Sun has the advantage of dominating ownership of movie rights which it can leverage for its radio business.

    Before the IPO, Sun had taken clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for issuing equity shares to foreign investors. The company, in its application, had said that it was intending to issue this either by “way of a preferential allotment prior to the IPO” and/or by “way of an initial public offering of its equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 each of 10 per cent of its post IPO paid up equity capital, subject to the maximum foreign investment limit as prescribed.”

  • 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.