ITV

Tag: Singapore

  • Amaru inks deal with Sony Pics TV International for VOD rights in Singapore

    Amaru inks deal with Sony Pics TV International for VOD rights in Singapore

    MUMBAI: The US-headquartered Amaru Inc., a global player in broadband media entertainment business, has secured a multi-year deal with Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) for video-on-demand rights on film titles from both Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for M2B viewers. The agreement has been done through Amaru’s Hollywood-based company M2B World Inc.

    The distribution deal, initiated at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) conference held in Las Vegas in January 2006, allows for first-run films to be available, on-demand, to subscribers of Amaru’s Global Broadband TV service (M2BTV), accessible through the company’s soon to be launched Set-Top Box, informs an official release.

    In addition, a selection of films will be available via pay-per-view on Dimension88 — a Singaporean premium movie channel offered at www.Dimension88.com that can be accessed via a broadband Internet connection. This deal will give M2B viewers access to SPTI product in the window after local video release.

    The deal reflects the rapidly developing interest by consumers worldwide in the at-home on-demand entertainment market. An independent study commissioned last month by the M2B brand on consumer attitudes towards broadband entertainment found that 72 per cent of domestic respondents alone were interested in accessing first-run Hollywood films online. Through distinctive content and distribution agreements over the last few years, including this agreement with SPTI, the M2B brand has been a visionary leader at the forefront of the transforming entertainment market, the release adds.

    “This agreement is a result of the unique synergy that traditional Hollywood entertainment companies are looking towards. It is essentially the melding of the highly recognizable content that viewers are looking for with easily accessible distribution vehicles, such as our broadband channels, that offer consumers the highest quality feeds in a way that fits within their limited schedules,” says Amaru Inc. CEO Colin Binny. “Our philosophy has always been to offer wide-ranging content as our viewing demographic continues to broaden — and partnering with Sony Pictures Television International is reflective of that intention. We look forward to working with SPTI, and expect that the addition of these titles will be extremely well-received by our viewers.”

    “Viewers worldwide have been receptive to VOD and we’re pleased to make our extensive library available to M2B viewers”, adds SPTI’s vice president pay television Paul Littmann.

  • CNN’s daily audience base up 35%: Pax Survey

    CNN’s daily audience base up 35%: Pax Survey

    MUMBAI: Global market research company Synovate Pax’s survey results reveal that CNN’s audience growth across the Asia Pacific region out-paced all gains for the news genre, with daily audiences up by a remarkable 35 per cent year-on-year.

    Further evidence of CNN’s pre-eminence is supported by results that show, the network is viewed by 14 per cent more people each week, and 16 per cent more each month, than all other news and business channels combined, informs an official release.

    This represents the sixth successive set of Pax results to show growth in CNN’s audience, claiming that one which also added 56 per cent more past-week viewers and 65 per cent more past-month viewers than the next placed news channel (BBC World).

    Turner International Asia Pacific VP of research Duncan Morris says, “With the fast pace of globalization more and more people find they need an international perspective so we are absolutely delighted with
    this further ringing endorsement of CNN’s newsgathering credentials.”

    “Our award winning coverage of global events has clearly resonated with our audience, particularly so as we are watched by 39 per cent more top management each day than any other measured channel.

    ” The benefits of this audience growth for advertisers are real as, for example, each month CNN now reaches 169,000 (+40per cent) more people planning to buy an LCD or plasma TV than it did a year ago, as well as 479,000 or 23 per cent more car owners,” adds Morris.

    The full-year survey results, conducted by Synovate, further reveal almost half (46 per cent) of CNN’s weekly audience view no other news/business channel during the course of a week, and 39 per cent of them remain loyal across a month.

    CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 54 per cent more Pax respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website.

    Pax represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets, including Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo.

    These 14.2 million individuals consist of 13.0 million affluent adults, 3.8 million business decision makers and 0.8 million top management.With a total sample size of over 20,000, Pax fieldwork takes place continually throughout the year. Results are released each quarter on a rolling 4-quarters basis. The Q1-Q4 2005 period represents the latest Pax data release.

  • Disney and Optus to launch Disney Connection in Australia

    Disney and Optus to launch Disney Connection in Australia

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) and Optus have signed an agreement to launch an interactive broadband service Disney Connection on the Optus broadband portal.

    The service will offer kids and families a broad range of media-rich Disney entertainment and learning activities. It will be available to Optus broadband customers in July 2006.

    The agreement marks the Australian launch of the popular Disney-branded internet channel, which is available in eight other countries, including the US, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

    “We’re very pleased to work with Optus to make this high-quality broadband content available to Australian consumers,” said Walt Disney Internet Group International executive vice president and managing director Mark Handler.

    “Disney Connection provides unique, high-quality and differentiated online entertainment that kids and families can enjoy. We look forward to bringing more of our rich library of online interactive entertainment to this market,” he added.

    Disney Connection will offer Optus broadband customers a regularly-updated slate of interactive games and activities, as well as video, based on both classic and new Disney characters. Its Studio Showcase will provide video shorts from Disney, including Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney clips, cartoon shorts, music videos, and movie trailers.

    “As Australians increasingly embrace broadband, we are pleased to launch an interactive and educational entertainment destination designed especially to meet the needs of children and families,” said Optus Consumer group director products and delivery Chris Lane.

    “This is a cornerstone deal in Optus’ strategy of featuring the internet’s leading online brands and entertainment providers. It is another step in Optus’ vision of a digital future where PC and mobile phones become sources of everyday entertainment,” he added.

    Disney Connection content on the Optus broadband portal will be refreshed every other week. Kids and families will be able to personalise their site experience through the “My Disney” link by selecting their favourite theme – from Buzz Lightyear to Disney Princess – and choosing their preferred games and other content to appear on the Disney Connection home page.

    A separate mobile section will highlight Disney-branded mobile content available on the Optus Zoo WAP portal.

    In the Asia Pacific region, Disney.com has well-established, localized Internet sites in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Australia. WDIG launched its first broadband content service in Japan in 2003 with NTT FLET’s broadband network, reaching more than 7.9 million subscribers. In June 2005, it launched its first broadband service in Taiwan with Chungwa Telecom’s HiNet ADSL, the country’s leading broadband provider, with more than 3.5 million subscribers.

    WDIG has mobile content distribution in 13 markets in the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, China, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Macau. In this region, more than 695 million mobile consumers have access to Disney-branded mobile content.

  • CNN viewed by 14 % more people each week: PAX survey

    CNN viewed by 14 % more people each week: PAX survey

    MUMBAI: The 24-hour international English news channel CNN’s audience growth across the Asia Pacific region has out-paced all gains for the news genre as a whole, with daily audiences up by a remarkable 35 per cent year-on-year.

    In an official statement, the international news channel claims it’s pre-eminence comes in the results that show the network is viewed by 14 per cent more people each week, and 16 per cent more each month, than all other news and business channels combined.

    These were the sixth successive set of PAX results to show growth in CNN’s audience, one which also added 56 per cent more past-week viewers and 65 per cent more past-month viewers than the next placed news channel (BBC World).

    “With the fast pace of globalization more and more people find they need an international perspective so we are absolutely delighted with this further ringing endorsement of CNN’s newsgathering credentials”, said Turner International Asia Pacific VP research Duncan Morris.

    “Our award winning coverage of global events has clearly resonated with our audience, particularly so as we are watched by 39 per cent more top management each day than any other measured channel. The benefits of this audience growth for advertisers are real as, for example, each month CNN now reaches 169,000 (+40 per cent) more people planning to buy an LCD or plasma TV than it did a year ago, as well as 479,000 or 23 per cent more car owners,” adds Morris.

    The full-year survey results, conducted by Synovate, further reveal that almost half (46 per cent ) of CNN’s weekly audience view no other news/business channel during the course of a week, and 39 per cent of them remain loyal across a month. Online, CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 54 per cent more PAX respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website.

    CNN International offers comprehensive international and regional news coverage 24 hours a day and provides prime-time morning and evening news and business programming for viewers in the Asia Pacific. Programs including CNN Today, World News Asia, Global Office and popular chat show Talk Asia are broadcast from the network’s regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

    PAX represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets: – Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo. These 14.2 million individuals consist of 13.0 million “Affluent Adults”, 3.8 million “Business Decision Makers” and 0.8 million ‘top management’.

  • Telekom Malaysia acquires 49% stake in Spice Telecom

    Telekom Malaysia acquires 49% stake in Spice Telecom

    MUMBAI: Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) has secured a critical piece in its regional footprint, with the acquisition a 49 per cent stake in India’s Spice Communications Pvt Ltd (Spice) for a consideration of $178.85 million.

    The acquisition, made through TM’s international investment holding company TM International Sdn Bhd (TMI) involved the purchase of the stake held by Deutsche Bank AG and Ashmore Investment Management Limited consortium (DBA).

    The remaining 51 per cent remains with the existing shareholders, the Mcorp Global Ltd and its associates (Mcorp).

    A statement jointly released in Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi stated that the definitive agreements governing the transaction were executed in Kuala Lumpur today. Completion of the transaction is expected within a month, subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals. A media conference-cum-briefing explaining the transaction was also held in Kuala Lumpur jointly by senior TM and Mcorp officials.

    Spice is a privately held company incorporated in India providing cellular telecom services in the states of Punjab and Karnataka. The company commenced operations in 1997 after receiving its cellular licences from the Government of India.

    With the company’s recent decision to migrate to the Unified Acess Licensing regime, the scope of services allowable has since broadened to further include full and limited mobility fixed and wireline services, VAS, as well as broadband services.

    Through new applications, the company is also in the process of obtaining licences for 6 new circles (namely Jammu/Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh West/East), as well as National Long Distance (NLD) and International Long Distance (ILD) licences.

    According to TM chairman Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Mansor, the proposed investment is consistent with TM’s objectives of becoming a significant mobile player in the Asian markets, and to participate in the growth opportunities in the Indian cellular market. TM, which has re-strategised its international investments to focus on regional markets closer to Malaysia, has strong presence in the Asia Pacific region, with investments in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore and Pakistan.

    “India is the missing piece in our regional footprint. Now with Spice as part of the TM family, it strengthens our regional presence and complements our existing presence in Sri Lanka where we are the number one, and Bangladesh where we are the number two mobile operator. We are excited about sharing our experience and learn more about the Indian market from Spice,” he said.

    “With Punjab being the most prosperous state in the country and Karnataka dubbed as the “Silicon Valley” of India, there is tremendous potential for mobile telephony in these markets. We are optimistic that Spice will contribute positively to the overall performance of TM in the near future” he added.

    TM Group CEO Dato’ Abdul Wahid Omar described organic growth as the key approach for creating shareholder value in Spice. “Apart from growth through new cellular circles expansion, we are excited about the implementation of other services under the Unified Access licensing regime. TM and its partner Mcorp will seek to grow Spice to be a market leader in the geographies it operates in, including attaining a pan-India presence,” he said.

    “Spice customers today join TM’s global mobile subscriber base of over 20 million. Apart from TM’s operational and management experience both in Malaysia and key Asian regional markets, Spice customers stand to benefit from through the creation and innovation of new products and services, sharing of technological experience and implementation, and the leveraging of group synergies such as in global procurement,” he further added.

    Mcorp Global chairman Dr B K Modi described India and Malaysia as natural allies and which have strong historic cultural ties, and share the same values and aspirations.

    “Today, both countries are at the forefront of the revolution in information, communication and entertainment (ICE) technologies and have much to offer each other. Together, they could become a powerful force to take Asian companies to an entirely new globally competitive level,” he said.

    “We are totally committed to the principles of enhancing human productivity – boosting the prosperity of the entire Asia Pacific region, and promoting global peace for the sake of all humanity. It is now time to redefine our relationship, rewrite our destiny, and reinvent the future. I am confident our strategic partnership with TM will create a new synergy and help us in maximizing growth in one of the world’s fastest growing markets,” Modi added.

    Dr Modi also described Spice as the pioneering brand of mobile telephony in India, committed to becoming the most preferred choice for energetic young minds through synchronised performance in ICE products and services. Spice, he said, has been built on the bedrock of its values: fun, innovation, vibrancy, empathetic, trustworthy and fast to respond. It has a presence in two of the high potential markets of Punjab and Karnataka.

    Lazard India were sole financial advisors to TM and TMI on this transaction.