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Tag: Sony Pictures Networks India

  • SPN launches regional language feeds for UEFA EURO 2016 in India

    SPN launches regional language feeds for UEFA EURO 2016 in India

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has launched multi-language feeds for its international football property UEFA EURO 2016. The network will roll-out feeds in six languages namely English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam for the tournament.

    The company is aimed at bringing the tournament closer to the TV viewing audience by presenting the content in a localized format for viewers across Indian markets through its multiple language feed.

    Regional feeds for broadcasting sports properties was a pioneering initiative by SPN in India with the Bengali feed on Sony AATH for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

    UEFA EURO 2016 is one of the biggest international football tournaments in the world and will commence on 10 June 2016 until the finals that take place on 10 July 2016.  It showcases the best of football and will have some of the finest European teams including the two time defending champions, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Italy, England and many more playing for the coveted title of European Champions.

    The network recently launched its time to switch campaign with a notion of viewers switching from other sports to football and the multi-language feeds giving viewers another reason to switch to the tournament.

    The tournament will be telecasted live and exclusive on Sony SIX and Sony ESPN channels at primetime slots of 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 12:30 am. Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed for the tournament while Sony ESPN will give viewers the option of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu language feeds. On the digital front, Sony LIV will live stream all the matches.

  • Indian Broadcasting Foundation cheers TRAI’s decision on differential pricing

    Indian Broadcasting Foundation cheers TRAI’s decision on differential pricing

    MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has welcomed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) decision to rule out differential pricing.

    “The broadcasting industry is appreciative of TRAI’s decision to rule out differential pricing. IBF has earlier opposed differential pricing terming it to be ‘non-competitive,” said IBF secretary general Girish Srivastava.

    In its response to the consultation paper, IBF had clearly stated that such discriminatory entry barriers would lead to “reduced scope of consumer choice, inducing artificial scarcity.”

    “In our opinion, TRAI’s regulation on prohibiting differential pricing constitutes a milestone as it was against the basic principle of Internet access as no private player should have the power and right to decide which information can be accessed and which is less easily available,” Srivastava added.

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, major broadcasters like Star India, Sony Pictures Networks India and Zee Network submitted their comments to TRAI in favour of net neutrality citing the drawbacks of differential pricing for telecom services.

  • Indian Broadcasting Foundation cheers TRAI’s decision on differential pricing

    Indian Broadcasting Foundation cheers TRAI’s decision on differential pricing

    MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has welcomed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) decision to rule out differential pricing.

    “The broadcasting industry is appreciative of TRAI’s decision to rule out differential pricing. IBF has earlier opposed differential pricing terming it to be ‘non-competitive,” said IBF secretary general Girish Srivastava.

    In its response to the consultation paper, IBF had clearly stated that such discriminatory entry barriers would lead to “reduced scope of consumer choice, inducing artificial scarcity.”

    “In our opinion, TRAI’s regulation on prohibiting differential pricing constitutes a milestone as it was against the basic principle of Internet access as no private player should have the power and right to decide which information can be accessed and which is less easily available,” Srivastava added.

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, major broadcasters like Star India, Sony Pictures Networks India and Zee Network submitted their comments to TRAI in favour of net neutrality citing the drawbacks of differential pricing for telecom services.

  • ESPN inks exclusive digital partnership with China’s Tencent

    ESPN inks exclusive digital partnership with China’s Tencent

    MUMBAI: After collaborating with Sony Pictures Networks India to launch co-branded sports channels in the country, ESPN has now trained its eyes on China.

    The sportscaster has inked a deal with China’s online products and services company Tencent, which builds on Tencent’s vast user base across the globe and ESPN’s expertise in sports content creation.

    Through the collaboration, ESPN’s content will be localised and exclusively distributed and promoted by Tencent’s digital platforms in China.

    Under the agreement, Tencent’s live sports coverage and digital products in China will now feature exclusive Chinese-language (Mandarin) ESPN content – a combination of original and localised content – initially focused on the NBA and international soccer, with the potential to expand to other sports.

    “We are thrilled to collaborate with one of China’s most innovative companies, and our relationship with Tencent marks an exciting new era for ESPN’s global business. This agreement will help us serve millions of Chinese fans and bring our coverage of basketball, international soccer and other sports to them like never before,” said ESPN International executive vice president Russell Wolff.

    To satisfy the growing user demand for popular international sports content, Tencent will also be the exclusive, digital home for the NCAA Men’s March Madness basketball tournaments, more than 100 regular season college basketball games and the X Games.

    In addition, Tencent’s QQ Sports (Sports.qq.com), a Chinese online sports portal, will help ESPN establish its digital presence in China by launching an ESPN section. ESPN’s content will be integrated across other QQ.com channels and sections.

    “Tencent boasts a huge pool of users. Every single day, hundreds of millions of people watch streamed sports games and read sports news on Tencent. We’re really pleased to establish this relationship with ESPN, a world leading sports media group. It will accelerate Tencent’s development as a comprehensive and professional digital platform and set benchmarks for the Chinese sports media sector,” said Tencent senior executive vice president and president of its Online Media Group SY Lau.

    These growing marketplace in China comprises 1.3 billion people, nearly 670 million Internet users and more than 440 million television households. This deal is another example of ESPN working with top in-market companies to serve sports fans locally.

  • ESPN inks exclusive digital partnership with China’s Tencent

    ESPN inks exclusive digital partnership with China’s Tencent

    MUMBAI: After collaborating with Sony Pictures Networks India to launch co-branded sports channels in the country, ESPN has now trained its eyes on China.

    The sportscaster has inked a deal with China’s online products and services company Tencent, which builds on Tencent’s vast user base across the globe and ESPN’s expertise in sports content creation.

    Through the collaboration, ESPN’s content will be localised and exclusively distributed and promoted by Tencent’s digital platforms in China.

    Under the agreement, Tencent’s live sports coverage and digital products in China will now feature exclusive Chinese-language (Mandarin) ESPN content – a combination of original and localised content – initially focused on the NBA and international soccer, with the potential to expand to other sports.

    “We are thrilled to collaborate with one of China’s most innovative companies, and our relationship with Tencent marks an exciting new era for ESPN’s global business. This agreement will help us serve millions of Chinese fans and bring our coverage of basketball, international soccer and other sports to them like never before,” said ESPN International executive vice president Russell Wolff.

    To satisfy the growing user demand for popular international sports content, Tencent will also be the exclusive, digital home for the NCAA Men’s March Madness basketball tournaments, more than 100 regular season college basketball games and the X Games.

    In addition, Tencent’s QQ Sports (Sports.qq.com), a Chinese online sports portal, will help ESPN establish its digital presence in China by launching an ESPN section. ESPN’s content will be integrated across other QQ.com channels and sections.

    “Tencent boasts a huge pool of users. Every single day, hundreds of millions of people watch streamed sports games and read sports news on Tencent. We’re really pleased to establish this relationship with ESPN, a world leading sports media group. It will accelerate Tencent’s development as a comprehensive and professional digital platform and set benchmarks for the Chinese sports media sector,” said Tencent senior executive vice president and president of its Online Media Group SY Lau.

    These growing marketplace in China comprises 1.3 billion people, nearly 670 million Internet users and more than 440 million television households. This deal is another example of ESPN working with top in-market companies to serve sports fans locally.

  • Sony Six to live telecast Vivo IPL 2016 player auction

    Sony Six to live telecast Vivo IPL 2016 player auction

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India’s sports channel Sony Six and Sony Six HD will live telecast the Vivo IPL 2016 Player Auction from Bangalore on6 February from 9 am onwards.

    Viewers will get to witness franchises bidding from a pool of 351 cricketers, including 230 from India at the auction.

    For the ninth season, the franchises have a salary purse of Rs 66 crore each, which is a Rs 3 crore jump from last season’s purse with a balance sum of RS 198.28 crores remaining with the eight franchises.

    Sony Pictures Networks India sports cluster business Prasana Krishnan said, “The Vivo IPL is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world with top Indian and international names in cricket participating in this tournament. The player auction always sets the tone for the tournament and 2016 will surely be more exciting with two new teams fiercely bidding to build their player line-up.”

    “Telecast on Sony Six, the viewing experience will be further enhanced by the panellists who will engage fans with their expert insights on the bidding strategies employed by the teams,” he added.

    Apart from last edition’s most expensive players – Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik, the other names at the auction table will include Irfan Pathan, Kane Richardson, Michael Hussey, Ishant Sharma, and Mohit Sharma. The auction will also see the inclusion of two new teams, Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions, who will be bidding to build their teams for the first time.

    As many as 100 cricketers including 36 overseas players have been retained by the franchises for the 2016 season.

    The auction will be led by Richard Madley, a professional auctioneer from England who has been shepherding the player auctions since its inception in 2008. Former Indian cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Extraaa Innings host Gaurav Kapur will be present at the auction to share their insights on both, team as well as player strategies.

  • Sony Six to live telecast Vivo IPL 2016 player auction

    Sony Six to live telecast Vivo IPL 2016 player auction

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India’s sports channel Sony Six and Sony Six HD will live telecast the Vivo IPL 2016 Player Auction from Bangalore on6 February from 9 am onwards.

    Viewers will get to witness franchises bidding from a pool of 351 cricketers, including 230 from India at the auction.

    For the ninth season, the franchises have a salary purse of Rs 66 crore each, which is a Rs 3 crore jump from last season’s purse with a balance sum of RS 198.28 crores remaining with the eight franchises.

    Sony Pictures Networks India sports cluster business Prasana Krishnan said, “The Vivo IPL is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world with top Indian and international names in cricket participating in this tournament. The player auction always sets the tone for the tournament and 2016 will surely be more exciting with two new teams fiercely bidding to build their player line-up.”

    “Telecast on Sony Six, the viewing experience will be further enhanced by the panellists who will engage fans with their expert insights on the bidding strategies employed by the teams,” he added.

    Apart from last edition’s most expensive players – Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik, the other names at the auction table will include Irfan Pathan, Kane Richardson, Michael Hussey, Ishant Sharma, and Mohit Sharma. The auction will also see the inclusion of two new teams, Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions, who will be bidding to build their teams for the first time.

    As many as 100 cricketers including 36 overseas players have been retained by the franchises for the 2016 season.

    The auction will be led by Richard Madley, a professional auctioneer from England who has been shepherding the player auctions since its inception in 2008. Former Indian cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Extraaa Innings host Gaurav Kapur will be present at the auction to share their insights on both, team as well as player strategies.

  • Sony Liv bags Australian Open’s digital rights; to livestream for free

    Sony Liv bags Australian Open’s digital rights; to livestream for free

    MUMBAI: Sony Liv has pocketed the exclusive digital rights to the Australian Open for its web and mobile platform. The tournament will be live streamed on Sony Liv for free.

     

    It may be recalled that the satellite rights of the Australian Open vest with Sony Pictures Networks India and ESPN’s joint venture channel – Sony ESPN, which is all set to beam from 17 January.

     

    From 18 – 31 January, the live matches will be available for viewing on the Sony Liv Android and iOS Mobile app as well as on www.sonyliv.com.

     

    For those who miss the match, video on demand capturing key highlights and special moments of every match along with interviews and press conferences will be available on the very same day.

     

    SPN India EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “Sony Liv has established itself as the destination of choice for the Indian viewers looking for digital entertainment solutions on the go. As a category, sports are very significant for Sony Liv audiences and hence, we have been increasing our content portfolio to include major sporting events. The Australian Open will be live streamed on Sony Liv since we have the digital rights for the event for its mobile and web platforms.”

     

    The Australian Open is one of the most eminent international tennis tournaments held annually over a fortnight in Melbourne, The year’s first Grand Slam will feature some of the biggest names from the international tennis circuit such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova, among others as well as Indian players Sania Mirza and Somdev Devvarman. Last season’s winners, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will also return to the court to defend their respective titles this year.