ITV

Tag: Television

  • Star looks to give mobile users a Plus experience

    Star looks to give mobile users a Plus experience

    MUMBAI: In an effort to tap into the burgeoning mobile sphere, Star India is launching the platform Plus by the end of February.

    Star is hoping this initiative will help users go beyond using the mobile for text and voice. It is being positioned as a solution for consumers to catch up on television, sports, movies, shop and bank on the go.

    Speaking on this, Star Mobile Entertainment senior VP Viren Popli says, “The mobile service is a particularly valuable tool for those who do not have access to the net. They can access the digital world. You do not need to change your phone. You need GPRS to download the application for free. There will be a monthly fee of around Rs 2 for the content. Of course ringtone downloads or purchases will be billed separately.

    “Once a user downloads the application he will see nine buttons. These are TV, Sports, Music, Movie, Lifestyle, Community, Downloads, Info Services and Help. TV has a TV guide. We also offer mobisodes of our shows. This is basically a summary of the episode that has just aired. You can also get wallpapers. As far as information services are concerned we have a few partners. For banking we have tied up with HDFC. It allows you to access your account, ask for a cheque book.”

    Popli adds that in the travel, segment there are two partners – Travelguru and makemytrip.com. One can buy tickets and make hotel reservations. Star has also tied up with Infomedia for the Yellow Pages service. Here you can search for phone numbers. For astrology there is a tie-up with Dinesha Speaks. The sports section has a news desk for cricket, hockey, golf, tennis etc. One can also get ball by ball updates.

    In the movies section one gets clips, news and reviews. For music the firm has tied up with Universal Music. One can get information on new releases, classics etc. One can listen to clips before deciding whether or not to make a purchase. Popli adds that as of now five to 10 per cent of mobile phones in India have GPRS. Hopefully in two years time with services like this launching 30-40 per cent of phones will have GPRS.

    He says that the service took six to seven months to set up. One criteria was that the user should not have to change his/her phone. Also the interface needed to be easy to use. Right now the interface is in English but Star is looking at making it available in other languages as well. Going forward Plus’ aim will be to add to the depth and breadth of the services it offers.

    For instance, in TV in the future one might get other channels’ schedules and have clips from there besides the Star bouquet. That is one reason why Popli says the name Plus was given to the service to separate it from the Star brand name. The firm is also examining the possibility on introducing mobile blogs, mail as time goes on.

    In the Lifestyle section one can get information on cars courtesy a tie up with Overdrive. Then there is a tie-up with T3 for gadget news. Computing information comes courtesy Chip. Design tips will be provided by Better Interiors. Fans of audio can learn what is happening thanks to a tie up with AV Max. If one wants to buy a car for example one can put in a price range and then see what is available. A review will be there and then one can ask for a test drive.

    The Community section will offer Midnight Chat on Channel [V] as well as shopping. One can also blog here.

  • Television woos Marathi Manus

    SABTNL vice chairman and managing director Markand Adhikari assures us that his long-in-the-pipeline channel ‘Mi Marathi’ will finally be making its appearance in February 2007.

    With just two players in the GEC market – Zee Marathi and ETV Marathi – and one public broadcaster – DD Sahyadri – struggling to keep up with the onslaught of private players, the time is just right for more players to enter the niche Marathi regional market.

    It’s an open field and almost every television network has set sights on it. Like one industry gentleman mentions, “We’ve looked and looked until our eyes have watered.”
    That’s one of the more cautious players checking the scene. But what catches our interest is the launch of two new channels on the anvil. Zee News Limited is about to launch Chouvees Tas (25 January is the date that is doing the rounds), a 24 hour news channel in Marathi while Adhikari brothers Mi Marathi should launch soon too.

    Other players who are evaluating the market include TV18 and Star, although both networks declined to make any specific comment, insisting that the regional market is an unexplored territory, whether in Maharashtra or the other regional segment fast gaining interest – the south.

    BACKGROUND

    This is not the first time that channels have wooed the Marathi Manus. The first wave of Marathi channels saw DD Sahyadri, Zee Marathi, ETV Marathi, Tara Marathi and Prabhat fighting for eyeballs. DD Sahyadri was launched in 1998 and was followed by Zee Marathi in 1999. ETV Marathi, Tara and Prabhat were launched in the period between 2001-02.

    While the Rathikant Basu led Tara Marathi and Prabhat channels have long since shut shop, Zee Marathi and ETV have not only managed to hold on but have since established themselves, pushing DD Sahyadri to the third position.

    DD Sahyadri tried to resurrect itself in 2003 and even raced ahead of the two private players for a brief period. But recent figures suggest another role reversal.

    THE NUMBERS GAME

    Take into account the figures for last the three months (Oct-Dec 2006), in the CS + 4 Yrs by Tam. ETV Marathi is leading the channel share in Maharashtra by a narrow margin ahead of Zee Marathi, while DD Sahyadri is lagging behind with just 11 per cent share.

    In Mumbai, however, Zee Marathi pipped ETV Marathi to the post with a 50 per cent share.

    Two weeks into the new year (with CAS having been implemented in south Mumbai and Tam introducing its new, expanded peoplemeter panel), the data throws up a few surprises. And this time Zee Marathi is seen beating ETV Marathi by a high margin. In fact, it competes with Star Plus in the Hindi GEC and emerges a winner.

    Channels GRP
    ZEE Marathi 351
    Star Plus 319
    ETV Marathi 258

    Channel GRP in GEC
    Market:All India
    TG: CS 15+Yrs
    Source: TAM Peoplemeter

    Zee Marathi business head Nitin Vaidya is elated as he brings out the week two results. “Zee Marathi has surpassed Star Plus in the overall channel market share. Both Mumbai and all Maharastra categories show a significant lead for Zee Marathi,” says Vaidya. The data he details is clearly reflective of the channel’s hold over its Marathi speaking audiences; whether during prime time viewing or the afternoon band with a predominance of women oriented programming.

    “I’m not bothered about the Kyunki’s and Kahaani’s of the world. My competition is not restricted to the Marathi market. I want to compete at equal par with all other entertainment channels. For instance; Sa Re Ga Ma Pa hosted by Pallavi Joshi on Zee Marathi is as popular as the one on our Hindi network,” reiterates Vaidya. In fact, the channel is so confident about its show that the time slot of 10 pm coincides with Star Plus’ popular K-sagas. Despite this, the channel claims to have wide viewership amongst its Marathi viewers. While one of the reasons for Star’s slump could be attributed to Tam having increased its peoplemeter sample size to more cities and updating the number of C&S homes, the interest in Marathi market by established networks is an indicator of its mass appeal.

    The numbers also show that Marathi channels, once considered a slow moving market, are undergoing a paradigm shift. The competition is no longer restricted within the niche Marathi channel market but has spilt over to all GECs. According to industry sources, the Marathi market growth rate in 2003 was a modest 8 per cent. Compare that to the 13 to 14 per cent growth rate touted today and we get an idea of why other channels are waiting to jump into the fray.

    The general bonhomie over the Marathi market growth is also shared by other industry watchers. Vaidya estimates that the size of the Marathi regional market is Rs1 billion and will be about Rs1.2 billion by year end.

    CONTENT IS KING

    Zee Marathi has clearly ridden the success wave on the back of its programming. Zee Marathi spruced up its programming act last year with the introduction of many new shows. Currently, 11 of the top 15 shows on Marathi regional channels is by Zee Marathi. Zee Telefilms head network sales Joy Chakraborthy believes that the Zee Marathi success was due to its shift from a ‘cost centric’ to a ‘content and marketing centric’ strategy.

    Doordarshan director Satish Sonkar, who has recently replaced an unceremoniously transferred Mukesh Sharma, is confident about DD Sahyadri. “Our terrestrial reach cannot be duplicated by the private channels. Hence the CAS situation does not bother us too much.”

    DD Sahyadri:Losing the numbers game?
    Source:www.ddindia.com

    Sonkar is also gearing up to revive the sagging fortunes of Doordarshan. “Plans are on to launch a new breakfast show in the time slot between 7 to 8 in the morning moulded on the popular Subah Savere format. The emphasis throughout our programming content will be on infotainment.” The channel also wants to experiment with ‘parallel programming’; although current infrastructure does not permit it do so. Sonkar is also eager to do away with repeats on the channel and replace them with documentaries or feature shows “showcasing cultural aspects of Marathi culture like the history of Lavani”.

    Award events like Zee Gaurav Puraskar on Zee Marathi to be held on 3 February will see over 10,000 people in attendace. Sahyadri’s Hirkani Puraskar also claims a loyal viewership every year.

    Adhikari’s ‘Mi Marathi’ is likely to give the general entertainment channels a run for its collective money with its ‘bank of 3,000 programmes’. “With a tagline of Aaplya Maansanchi Aapli Vahini (our channel for our own people) and the experience of producing the most popular shows on Doordarshan we will certainly do well,” maintains Adhikari.

    AD REVENUE

    On a rough estimate, Zee Marathi takes in ad revenues to the tune of Rs 400 million to Rs 450 million while ETV Marathi would be in a similar range. DD Sahyadri claims to have already raked in Rs 300 million, the target set for 2006-2007.

    Sahyadri also switched from a sponsored to commissioned model starting Oct ’06 to eliminate the middle man. While this is on an experimental basis right now across its regional kendras, the Sahyadri channel has started this on 3-4 of its programmes and aims to extend it to all its programming by the end of this fiscal. The channel is confident that this policy called SFS (self financing scheme) will bring in the much needed ad revenue.

    But Marathi channels will have to woo the advertisers more intently. Most of the biggies in terms of advertising in Marathi channels are the FMCG companies like HLL, Reckitt, J&J, Marico, Wipro and they continue to dominate the top advertisers list over the last three years. Most of the new entrants are also from the same category with players like ITC & L’Oreal.

    GOOD ‘NEWS’

    The general news market will see the addition of a new player as Zee News’ Chouvees Tas. Zee News Limited CEO Harish Doraiswamy says, ‘Unless someone else pips us to the post, we are all set to become the first 24-hour Marathi news channel. There is certainly an equity in the Marathi news market since what is now available to a Marathi viewer is only hour on hour news at Zee Marathi, ETV Marathi and DD Sahyadri.’ The channel, which will be launched in a phased manner, is slated to cover all Maharashtra and will enter the market as a free-to-air channel.

    Does the rural- urban divide amongst Marathi viewers still exist and will this be a critical factor for Marathi channels? Doraiswamy says, “The content on the news channel will have to be tweaked to suit different categories of Marathi viewership. But by and large, the aspirations of the Marathi people are similar across geographical boundaries. In India, we may call a Latur or Sangli a small city, but judging by the population size these would be large cities had they been in the States. Going by the argument, we don’t see a disparity in our viewership. We will have agri-based programming or news specific to the community. The genres of programming will however be consistent throughout.”

    ETV Marathi focus on news
    Source:www.etv.com

    ETV Marathi first saw the potential of well packaged news and has three news bulletins – ETV Marathi news, Maharashtra Maaza and Aapli Mumbai. The channel also has an issue based talk show Vrutt Vaidh. Sahyadri also has a news bulletin in the evening called Batmya. Zee Marathi’s Zee News Marathi is now airing at regular intervals during the day along with hour-on-hour headlines, which will also be withdrawn in the run up to its 24 hour news channel.

    Clearly, the latest battle lines amongst these channels will be drawn around news since most of these channels agree that they can never match the programming budgets of some of the bigger channels. Roping in the Marathi viewer through events, awards shows, interactive game shows can be seen across the channels already.

    GRAPPLING WITH CAS

    Starcom India’s Girish Upadhyay brings in the media planner’s perspective when he says, “If we just see the one week data we have post CAS implementation one sees regional channel shares increasing by 20-25 per cent whereas some of the big mass channels have reduced in terms of share, but still these are early days.”

    He further states, “The general understanding is that niche & local regional channels do well in a CAS environment, since in such an environment people take channels which they are passionate about. But there won’t be space for too many channels to survive because a consumer ultimately has to shed money for every extra channel he takes.

    “This could give rise to two scenarios: The first entrant in the market would have an upper hand, since viewers have a habit of sticking to whatever they start watching first.

    “Consumers will also be tempted to buy a bouquet which has a mix of everything-news, movies, mass, regional. So these smaller news channels will do well if they become part of a good well-rounded bouquet of channels.”

    WAY AHEAD

    What is clear is that the ad revenue pie of the news market, with the entry of these players, is not going to increase much; in fact it will fragment the market further. Also, the big players are entering into news not because of revenue but more because they want to create an impact. Under the Cas regime, the network that offers the most variety in its bouquet is likely to win. That is precisely why one sees some of the news channels nowadays getting into the entertainment channel space which could be an added source of revenue.

    So is there room for more regional news channels? The language preference by the masses could just tip the scale in its favour. It is similar to newspaper readership across markets where vernacular is preferred over English/Hindi publications. The fact remains that in Mumbai, many of the Marathi households buy two newspapers – an English daily and a Marathi newspaper.

    Upadhyay does a comparative on the Bengali news market, which has Star and Zee amongst its players. “If we had to take the West Bengal a figure in terms of news, Star Ananda is currently ruling with a share in the range of 3 per cent while Zee’s Choubees Ghanta is in the range of 1.5 per cent, followed by the other all India players.”

    Although it would be tough to judge the Marathi market on the same basis, regional channels do have an upper edge purely due to language and cultural preferences.

    This could very well mark the second wave of Marathi regional channels and news will be the genre to watch out for.

  • Kasenna announces IPTV services innovation

    MUMBAI: The Indian arm of IPTV firm Kasenna Incorporated – Kasenna India today announced PortalTV 2.0, a suite of integrated products sporting a user interface and a Web services architecture designed to integrate the Internet and television.

    The “dynamic HTML-based smart client enables service providers to brand, control and differentiate their IPTV service experience and offerings,” a company release claims.

    “PortalTV 2.0 is based on open platforms and systems, enabling service providers to reduce their capital and operating expenditures by incorporating the standard server hardware and operating system of their choice – there are no proprietary integrations to work around,” said Kasenna CEO Kumar Shah.

    The PortalTV 2.0 suite comprises Kasenna LivingRoom 2.0 (IPTV middleware), LivingRoom Smart Client 2.0.1 (IPTV STB client), MediaBase 8.2 (the video delivery platform), vFusion 1.3 (video network management system), and content from ViewNow, a Kasenna company. Together, this suite of products – running on any industry-standard server – enables service providers to deliver an end-to-end system for interactive television, the release states.

    “PortalTV 2.0 has delivered to our telco customers the ability to be the first in offering next-generation MPEG-4 high-definition television,” said Hirendra Gupta, Managing Director and VP – Kasenna India and South East Asia.

    In India as well as throughout Asia, the future of IPTV lies in its ability to make programming come alive with interactive features such as gaming, quizzes or voting, or with the ability of users to click anywhere on the screen to buy or receive more information on a product or service. Kasenna is taking a leadership position in helping service providers roll out feature-rich interactive-TV services today, while providing a platform for marketing new services rapidly as they become available.

  • China to have over 32 million mobile video users in 2008

    China to have over 32 million mobile video users in 2008

    MUMBAI: The mobile video market in China will take off in 2008, driven by interest in the Beijing Olympics.

    A new study from ABI Research published out of Singapore forecasts total mobile video users at more than 32 million in 2008. About 27 per cent of these consumers will use broadcasting technology, and 73 per cent will use unicast streaming technology, while a number of viewers are likely to use both.

    In 2006, SARFT, the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, announced two handset-related standards. DAB is likely to be the first phase of mobile multimedia broadcasting standards development in China. DAB paves the way for upgrading to China’s proposed mobile multimedia broadcasting standard, T-DMB, a terrestrial implementation of SK Telecom’s mobile video format.

    Because both standards are voluntary, there are questions surrounding their effect in the market. “It is likely that local media groups and TV stations will deploy DAB initially, and implement T-DMB at a later date,” 3g.co.uk quotes ABI research director Jake Saunders as saying. “The Chinese government will give preference to a standard that will be used in the 2008 Olympics, and DAB has been listed as one of the broadcast services that will be available at the Beijing Games.”

    “Although lack of content is still deemed to be a bottleneck for mobile video in mainland China, the problem will be solved in the next two years,” adds Saunders. “The current content shortage is caused by the limited number of handset TV SP licenses. When more companies obtain licenses, competition will become the lubricant to drive up the market.”

    Meanwhile in Hong Kong, mobile operators are active in mobile video streaming. Their international operations backgrounds allow them to provide diversified content to users.

    PCCW’s experience in operating its IPTV business will boost its performance in the 3G market. ABI Research forecasts approximately 715,000 mobile video users in Hong Kong in 2008, of which 99 per cent will be streaming users. In Taiwan, ABI Research forecasts that there will be over 1.5 million mobile video users in 2008, with 97 per cent receiving content via streaming.

    “Mobile Video in China” analyzes the mobile video market in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It lists the streaming mobile services offered by mobile operators in the three areas, discusses the regulatory environment in mainland China, and charts the directions that will be taken by mobile video development based on different technologies.

  • Iraq orders closure of TV station office

    Iraq orders closure of TV station office

    MUMBAI: The Iraqi government has ordered the closure of the Baghdad office of a Dubai-based television station.

    That is because the newscaster wore black mourning clothes while reporting on the hanging of Saddham Hussein.

    A spokesman for the interior ministry was quoted in media reports saying that the Al-Sharqiya station, owned by a former chief of radio and television for Hussein, had incited violence and hatred in its coverage and had ignored warnings to stop.

    Brigadier Abdul-Karim Khalaf, the spokesman, said that the order was issued after an allegedly false report by the news channel about the abduction of three Sunni Arab female students from a university.
    Reports add that the order also followed criticism of the tone of Al-Sharqiya’s coverage of Saturday’s execution, which struck some as sympathetic to the ousted dictator.

    In contrast to state-run television reports that described Saddam as a ‘tyrant’ and ‘criminal,’ a newscaster on Al-Sharqiya – which means ‘`The Eastern One’ – referred to him as ‘president’.

  • Teen characters in British soaps lack ambition: Study

    Teen characters in British soaps lack ambition: Study

    MUMBAI: UK organisation The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) says that teen characters in British soaps lack ambition and are not great role models for viewers.

    LSC is concerned about the fact that characters in shows like Corrie and EastEnders are stuck in bad jobs which do not inspire kids to work towards a strong career with well defined goals.

    It says that characters in shows should have more ambition. Giving examples it points out that Corrie’s Fiz works in a factory and EastEnders’ Stacey is a stall trader. The group says they should both be setting their sights higher.

    LSC points out that too many soap characters have no career aspirations. Shows should at least attempt to show them trying to improve the quality of their lives instead of staying stuck in insignificant jobs.

    It notes that the UK has thousands of young people without qualifications. So it is important that television sets good examples. Television characters often set examples and if they are shown as being satisfied with being in dead end jobs then LSC is concerned that British viewers will not be motivated to try for more.

  • Unilever marketing chief Simon Clift to join BBC Worldwide board

    Unilever marketing chief Simon Clift to join BBC Worldwide board

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC’s commercial arm BBC WOrldwide has announced that Simon Clift, Unilever’s global chief marketing officer has joined its board as a non-executive director.

    His appointment is a further step in BBC Worldwide’s move to ensure both greater transparency in its governance and an even broader range of expertise at senior level.

    BBC Worldwide CEO John Smith said: “Simon’s extensive experience in marketing and in building brands around the world will provide a great resource for BBC Worldwide to draw on as it moves ahead with its current growth strategy.

    “During our strategic review in 2004/5 we identified a need to be more transparent in our governance and reporting in order to ensure clearer understanding of our remit and performance. The introduction of non-executive directors is one of the steps we have taken to achieve this.

    “In addition, these directors – Etienne de Villiers, our non executive Chairman, Jana Bennett (Director of Television, BBC), Nicholas Eldred (General Counsel, BBC), Zarin Patel (Director of Finance, BBC) – and now Simon, will make rich contributions to the development of our international expansion plans.”

  • BBC launches integrated multimedia broadcast and production group BBC Vision

    BBC launches integrated multimedia broadcast and production group BBC Vision

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has announced that BBC Vision, an integrated multimedia broadcast and production group has launched. The aim is to create high quality programmes for audiences in the rapidly changing digital world.

    BBC Vision director Jana Bennett says that in the future, more BBC programmes would need to work on many different platforms such as the web, mobile phones and interactive technologies.”Our creative purpose is to deliver great programmes and great content to all our audiences. The future will still be a place where audiences value great storytelling, elegant structure, high production values – all the traditional strengths of BBC programme makers.

    “But at the same time we need to develop fresh ways of thinking and using technology. There are incredible opportunities in this new world if we can only organise ourselves to seize those opportunities and make them work for our audiences.”

    BBC Vision – so called because it makes BBC content that people watch – brings together several former BBC divisions: Drama, Entertainment and Children’s (DEC); Factual and Learning; Television; and Network Production in the Nations.

    This follows a restructure plan announced by BBC DG Mark Thompson earlier this year. The BBC Groups coming together are Audio and Music, Journalism and Future Media and Technology. Bennett said there were two big ideas behind the creation of Vision:

    A “one-stop shop” for multi-platform commissioning where creative ideas – whether in-house or independent – could be looked at in the round and assessed for their full creative potential across all appropriate platforms;

    A content powerhouse, Vision Studios, which positions itself as the biggest multi-platform production house of its kind in the world, bringing together about 4,000 programme makers in 17 “studios”. Jana Bennett has appointed Peter Salmon as Chief Creative Officer to run Vision Studios.

    £10 million has been set aside for multi-platform landmark projects. There will be opportunities for thousands of programme makers to gain new multi-media skills and experience of different areas of programming. There will also be an in-house guarantee and window of creative competition initiative. Bennett adds, “Vision commissioning would be a meritocracy to make sure that BBC audiences get the best content, wherever the ideas originate – inside or outside the BBC.”

    Within BBC Vision, commissioning stays separate from production. The BBC draws at least 25 per cent of its programming from independent production companies by statutory quota, and another 25 per cent makes up the Window of Creative Competition open to competition between independents and in-house producers. The remaining 50 per cent goes to the BBC’s in-house programme makers under the In-House Guarantee.

  • Gemini, Udaya to be merged into Sun?

    Gemini, Udaya to be merged into Sun?

    MUMBAI : The market is expecting founder-promoter Kalanithi Maran to merge the affiliate companies, Udaya TV Pvt Ltd and Gemini TV Pvt Ltd, where he has significant equity interests, with Sun TV Ltd.

    Maran had early this year raised Rs 6.03 billion through a public float of Sun TV which included the Tamil and Malayalam channels. But he kept his popular channels in Telugu and Kannada outside the ambit of the initial public offering (IPO) as they were under separate entities and had other minority stakeholders.
    The speculation in stock trading circles is that the decision would soon be taken to merge the two profit-making companies with Sun TV, offering investors a width of strong channels across the four southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

    The rumour comes at a time when Sun TV has made an announcement in the BSE that its board would be meeting on 27 November to “consider the proposed merger of satellite television broadcasting companies.”

    The stock would see a sigificant boost if “these rumours” turn out to be true. “The valuation of the company will shoot up if Gemini and Udaya are merged with Sun. It is not only the topline which will inflate but the bottomline will also continue to be strong,” stock market analysts say.

    Indiantelevision.com’s attempt to reach senior executives in Sun TV to get an official confirmation proved futile. Maran was also not available for comment.

    The equity shares of Udaya TV, as of 7 March 2006, are held by Maran (66.67), S. Selvam (16.67 per cent) and S Selvi (16.66 per cent). In Gemini, Maran has 26.5 per cent, Kal Communication (a promoter Group company), 23.5 per cent, K Bharathi 30 per cent, Indira Anand 16 per cent and A Sai Siva Jyoti 4 per cent.

    Before going for an IPO, Maran consolidated his ownership position by buying out entire stakes of Sharad Kumar and Dayalu Ammal (wife of DMK president M Karunanidhi). Analysts say he will try to do the same thing by buying out the minor partners in Gemini and Udaya before he decides to merge these two companies with Sun TV.

    “We don’t know if he also already bought out the stakes. If he has, the path is clear for him to go ahead with the merger,” an analyst in a brokering firm says.

    What is further fuelling the speculation is that Maran has recently consolidated the Telugu and Kannada channels under the Gemini and Udaya brands respectively. Teja News has been renamed Gemini News and Aditya TV as Gemini Music. Ushe TV, similarly, is now called Udaya Movies.

    Gemini and Udaya already share a business relationship with Sun TV Ltd. For instance, the approvals for uplinking Udaya News, Ushe TV, Aditya TV and Teja News have been granted in the name of Sun TV Ltd.

    Maran also has the option of consolidating Gemini and Udaya’s financials and taking them for an IPO. “This, however, is not what the market is expecting. We believe these two companies will merge with Sun TV to create a media behemoth,” analysts say.

    The Sun TV scrip opened the trading day at Rs 1361.55, reached a high of Rs 1389 and closed at Rs 1363.85.

  • Zoom launches ‘Popkorn Newz’

    Zoom launches ‘Popkorn Newz’

    MUMBAI: Zoom, India’s lifestyle channel is launching Popkorn Newz, an hourly show which will be aired every Monday to Friday at 7:30 pm with a repeat telecast at 10:30 pm.

    The weekend edition will air on Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 12:30 pm. The show will be hosted by Barkha Bisht.

    The show will cover all the latest happenings, breaking news, scandals from Bollywood, Television, Music, Events, asserts an official release.

    From Bollywood to the Indian Tellywood; from the faces in modeling to the interesting happenings from the world of art and theatre, Popkorn Newz, claims to be an Indian version of E News.

    Weekend Popkorn Newz will provide a round up of the biggest entertainment news in the week with a segment called the Popkorn Rating Points (PRP), which rates the top five most happening celebrities of the week in different categories such as – best dressed, cosiest couple spotted, most seen at parties, adds the release.