ITV

Tag: Time Bomb

  • ‘Time Bomb’ delivers for Zee in 10 pm slot

    ‘Time Bomb’ delivers for Zee in 10 pm slot

    MUMBAI: Zee TV’s most-talked about show in recent times, Time Bomb, has got its first report card.

    Tam ratings for week 26 (19 June to 25 June) has Time Bomb scoring 2.34 TVRs (Hindi speaking markets, TG +4).

    The thriller was launched on 20 June (Monday) as a one hour weekly in the 10 pm slot. Time Bomb replaced the non-starter Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na (10 pm) and Sarhatein (10:30 pm), a re-run.

    As per TAM data, Time Bomb recorded 3.1 TVRs in the Mumbai market and for the Delhi and Kolkata markets it got 3 TVRs each. In the Madhya Pradesh 1 million plus market the serial’s score is 4 TVRs while in the Gujarat 1 million plus market it is 3.8 TVRs. In the Gujarat 0.1 million – 1 million market, the score is 2 TVRs.

    Though the serial hasn’t made it in to the top 100, getting 2.34 TVR in the 10 pm slot, its fighting results stacking up against those towering Star Plus soaps Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki (10 pm) and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (10:30 pm) seems to have pleased the channel.

    The data indicates that in this time band, not only has the male viewership on Zee TV increased by 210 per cent, female viewership has also increased by a phenomenal 323 per cent. The increase in the viewership for Time Bomb can be largely attributed to a fall of 30 per cent male viewership for Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bhau Thi each, Zee TV has claimed in a release.

    “Time Bomb is Zee TV’s prime property right now. We have left no stone unturned to promote the show and TAM ratings are a clear indicator of our success. Time Bomb has been able to draw viewers away from their daily dose of drama. With the performance of Time Bomb and the slew of new shows lined up in the coming weeks, Zee TV is on its way to the pivotal position that it long deserved,” Zee TV president Abhijit Saxena has been quoted as saying.

  • ‘Time Bomb’ delivers for Zee in 10 pm slot

    MUMBAI: Zee TV’s most-talked about show in recent times, Time Bomb, has got its first report card.

    Tam ratings for week 26 (19 June to 25 June) has Time Bomb scoring 2.34 TVRs (Hindi speaking markets, TG +4).
     

    The thriller was launched on 20 June (Monday) as a one hour weekly in the 10 pm slot. Time Bomb replaced the non-starter Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na (10 pm) and Sarhatein (10:30 pm), a re-run.

    As per TAM data, Time Bomb recorded 3.1 TVRs in the Mumbai market and for the Delhi and Kolkata markets it got 3 TVRs each. In the Madhya Pradesh 1 million plus market the serial’s score is 4 TVRs while in the Gujarat 1 million plus market it is 3.8 TVRs. In the Gujarat 0.1 million – 1 million market, the score is 2 TVRs.

    Though the serial hasn’t made it in to the top 100, getting 2.34 TVR in the 10 pm slot, its fighting results stacking up against those towering Star Plus soaps Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki (10 pm) and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (10:30 pm) seems to have pleased the channel.

    The data indicates that in this time band, not only has the male viewership on Zee TV increased by 210 per cent, female viewership has also increased by a phenomenal 323 per cent. The increase in the viewership for Time Bomb can be largely attributed to a fall of 30 per cent male viewership for Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bhau Thi each, Zee TV has claimed in a release.

    “Time Bomb is Zee TV’s prime property right now. We have left no stone unturned to promote the show and TAM ratings are a clear indicator of our success. Time Bomb has been able to draw viewers away from their daily dose of drama. With the performance of Time Bomb and the slew of new shows lined up in the coming weeks, Zee TV is on its way to the pivotal position that it long deserved,” Zee TV president Abhijit Saxena has been quoted as saying.

  • Ketan Mehta served notice in ‘Time Bomb’ case

    MUMBAI: Delhi High Court, hearing the Time Bomb case, has today issued notice to producer-director Ketan Mehta, wife Deepa Sahi and their company Maya Movies for alleged violation of copyrights.
     

    Rupert Murdoch-controlled Twentieth Century Fox had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court alleging that Time Bomb, which is now being telecast on Zee Television channel, is a plagiarised version of its ongoing thriller 24. Today, justice Anil Kumar issued the notice on an application by the 20th Century Fox seeking impleadment of the respondent in the case.

     

    Mehta, present in the court room, accepted his notice while the other respondents will be served with notices for replies. The respondents are asked to file replies by 18 July.
     
     

    Last week, Zee Telefilms had defended its action by telling the court that, presentation and format styles can’t be copyrighted.

  • Zee asserts 8% growth for ‘Time Bomb’ viewership

    Zee asserts 8% growth for ‘Time Bomb’ viewership

    MUMBAI: Zee TV in a statement has claimed that its serial Time Bomb, which refuses to leave the centre stage, is giving a good show. Quoting the aMap ratings, the channel says the viewership graph has projected an upward curve.

    While the first episode of Time Bomb generated a rating of 3.3 in the Mumbai market, the second episode telecast on 27 June scored 3.9 TVRs. In the Delhi market, it slipped from 2.7 TVRs to 2.3, while in the Ahmedabad market there is an increase from 2.1 TVRs to 2.5 TVRS. Overall, the increase is from 2.9 TVRs to 3.1 TVRs which has resulted in an eight per cent growth, says the channel.

    It is pertinent to note here that it is not TAM India data that has been used to generate the results obtained but aMap (Audience Map) ratings. It was in June 2004 that Audience Measurement and Analytics (AMA) announced the launch of online television ratings system aMap and Zee is their first client.

    Zee is currently fighting a court battle against Twentieth Century Fox on the Time Bomb concept’s authenticity. The latter has gone to the Delhi High court alleging that Time Bomb is a plagiarised version of its ongoing thriller 24. The court will resume the hearing on 1 July.

  • Zee argues ‘Time Bomb’ features not bound by copyrights

    Zee argues ‘Time Bomb’ features not bound by copyrights

    MUMBAI: Resuming its arguments on the serial Time Bomb in the Delhi High Court, Zee Telefilms today argued that, presentation features and formats were not bound by copyright laws.

    “We have also screened some parts of the Time Bomb serial. We will screen its first episode on 1 July,” said Zee counsel Maninder Singh, adding that, the broadcaster has also brought the court’s attention to various global court rulings favouring the theory that presentation techniques and formats can’t be copyrighted.

    Zee also screened CDs of various television shows and movies which have featured the split-screen and screen clock techniques. According to Singh, the Indian broadcaster was trying to prove its point that, these techniques have already been used on television and movies and hence can’t be monopolised by anyone. The Court has now adjourned the hearing to 1 July.

    Twentieth Century Fox, had sought an injunction against Zee TV telecasting its Rs 110 million thriller Time Bomb. The US producer, in a suit filed on 17 June, had alleged that the Zee serial has copied the concept of its ongoing TV serial 24.

    Since the court had refused to stay the Time Bomb telecast, the serial is currently on air. The second episode of the weekly is scheduled to go air tonight at 10 pm.
     

  • Hearing on ‘Time Bomb’ adjourned to 27 June

    Hearing on ‘Time Bomb’ adjourned to 27 June

    MUMBAI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday adjourned till Monday, 27 June, the hearing of the case filed by Twentieth Century Fox, seeking an injunction against Zee TV telecasting its Rs 110 million thriller Time Bomb.

    The US producer, in a suit filed on 17 June, had alleged that the Zee serial has copied the concept of its ongoing TV serial 24.

    Justice Anil Kumar today heard the arguments of RK Anand for Twentieth Century Fox and Arun Jaitley for Zee Telefilms. Anand urged the Court to seek Time Bomb CDs for a comparative study of the two serials.

    Anand submitted that Zee Telefilms is required to produce all the CDs of its serial shot so far to the court to verify whether it had copied the script, storyline and the characterisation of the serial 24 as alleged in the lawsuit.

    Responding to the submission, justice Kumar said he would pass an appropriate order on the plea on the next hearing on 27 June.

    Arguing for the Indian broadcasting network today, Jaitley tried to counter the two main arguments Twentieth Century Fox had presented. Fox had made the copyright infringement allegations against Time Bomb based on two factors: Firstly, the company argued that Time Bomb inherited 24’s real time format. It said, like 24, Time Bomb was also following the screen time. The second one was on the split-screen technology which Time Bomb used. Twentieth Century Fox had argued that the copyright to the creative innovation belonged to the company, since it was the first one to launch such a technique.

    “Jaitley defended Time Bomb’s using of such techniques by arguing that, these kind of innovations are nobody’s monopoly since they are enabled and developed by the advancement of technology. Since it is part of the technology, it is in the public domain,” Zee Telefilms’ counsel Maninder Singh told indiantelevision.com.

    Jaitley also brought to the court’s attention to various shows that make use of the same innovations. He picked up examples in Sony’s thriller CID Special Bureau, which uses the splitscreen technique, various news and current affairs shows and many movies. According to Singh, Time Bomb’s writer-producer-director Ketan Mehta has already used this technique in his 1985 movie Mirch Masala.

    During the hearing, the Zee counsel also expressed his client’s willingness to produce the CDs/DVDs of these shows for the court to have a look at. Jaitley will continue his arguments on 27 June. With the court refusing to order an injunction against the launch, Time Bomb debuted on Zee TV on 20 June.

  • Zee asserts Mumbai ratings high for ‘Time Bomb’ debut

    Zee asserts Mumbai ratings high for ‘Time Bomb’ debut

    MUMBAI: Zee TV’s latest launch Time Bomb continues to be in the news. The Ketan Mehta serial, which has already created waves, be it the starcast, heavy duty promotions or the legal clash with Twentieth Century Fox over copyright issues, is now laying claim to being a ratings success as well.

    Zee TV has claimed that the opening episode of its weekly blockbuster thriller that aired last night (10-11 pm) scored ahead of even Star Plus’ “big behen” soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi. Of course, it is pertinent to note here that it is not TAM India data that has been used to generate the results obtained but aMap (Audience Map) ratings. It was in June 2004 that Audience Measurement and Analytics (AMA) announced the launch of online television ratings system aMap and Zee is their first client.

    According to the aMap data provided by the channel, Time Bomb recorded 3.2 TVRs, ahead of Kyunki…’s 2.5 TVRs in the C&S 4+ Mumbai market.

    Overall, Time Bomb stands second, behind the other Star Plus heavyweight Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, which scored a Mumbai high of 4.2 TVRs.

    Additionally, Zee claims that Time Bomb helped it attain the maximum reach in Mumbai of 17.5 per cent, ahead of Star Plus’ 15.9 per cent and Sony’s 11.3 per cent. This was for the 10 pm band.

    “Commenting on the TVRs from aMap, Zee TV business head Abhijit Saxena says, “These figures are a clear indication that viewers are looking for a change and Ketan Mehta’s thriller Time Bomb has been widely appreciated.”

    Saxena added, “We have recently launched shows like Sinndoor Tere Naam Ka and Sarrkkar and with a slew of programmes lined up in the coming weeks, Zee TV promises to be the market leader. Time Bomb, the first amongst the many upcoming weeklies of Zee TV, has further strengthened the Zee TV prime time band that now starts at 7:30 pm with Sinndoor Tere Naam Ka and continues till 11:30 pm with Kasshish a daily at 11pm.”

  • CBS to air miniseries on the late Pope John Paul II

    CBS to air miniseries on the late Pope John Paul II

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom’s broadcast network CBS will present a distinct mixture of star-studded and high concept movies and miniseries in the 2005-2006 season, as well as three new presentations from Hallmark Hall of Fame.

    One mini series in the pipeline is Pope John Paul II. It looks at the Pontiff’s 26 year reign and his papal odyssey that covered more than 120 countries and earned him the reputation of an international fighter for freedom. The script was supervised by historians at the Vatican, and exclusive footage has been filmed for the mini-series on St. Peter’s Square and surrounding areas

    It will begin with Karol Wojtyla’s journey from his youth in Poland through his late days on the chair of St. Peter. It will also explore the 264th Pope’s fascinating life behind the scenes: how he managed to touch the hearts of millions of people and change the face of the church and the world; how he defended the dignity of mankind against all kinds of Totalitarianism  from Nazism to Communism to consumerism; and who successfully related to people of all ages.

    One film that will air is Time Bomb (working title and not be confused with Zee’s show). This is a thriller about a threat received by Homeland Security during a big football game, claiming the stadium in Washington, D.C. is rigged to explode during the fourth quarter.

    Another film that will air is Mayday and is based on the bestseller by Nelson DeMille. This is a thriller in which chaos and death engulf an airliner traveling from the US to Tokyo when it is accidentally hit by a US Navy test missile. Because of the sudden change in cabin pressure from a gaping hole in the fuselage, many passengers are lost and a weekend pilot is forced to take control of the plane and try to navigate it to safety.

    The three Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations include The Water Is Wide. Alfre Woodard and Frank Langella star in a drama about an idealistic young teacher of poor black children who lives on a small isolated island off the coast of South Carolina in 1969

  • Delhi HC allows ‘Time Bomb’ telecast; hearings to continue

    Delhi HC allows ‘Time Bomb’ telecast; hearings to continue

    MUMBAI:The Delhi High Court has declined to grant an injunction against the scheduled launch tonight of Zee TV’s big budget primetime weekly Time Bomb.

    The court was hearing the case today on a suite filed by Twentieth Century Fox last Friday that the Zee TV thriller has copied the concept of its ongoing TV serial 24. After more than two hours of hearing today, justice Anil Kumar adjourned the matter for Wednesday to hear the version of Zee Telefilms.

    “Fox’s request to grant an injunction has been dismissed. The serial will launch tonight as planned,” Essel Group VP corporate communications and brand development group Ashish Kaul told indiantelevision.com.

    Senior advocate Arun Jaitley fought for Zee while Amarjit Singh Chandioke and C M Lall appeared for the US producer.

    Fox lawyers displayed the CD of the serial and explained the unique way in which 24 was made and contended that the act of ZTL amounted to infringement of copyright.

    Jaitley argued that nobody could monopolise on the concept of terrorism and claimed that Time Bomb was the extended version of another Zee serial Pradhan Mantri.

    When contacted, Time Bomb’s writer-producer-director Ketan Mehta said, “After hearing both the parties’ arguments, the court passed a judgment in favour of Zee TV permitting it to launch the show. The final verdict is not yet out. The hearing will continue.”

    On 17 June, Twentieth Century Fox moved the Delhi High Court requesting the court to take action against Zee Telefilms Limited on copyright infringement. Refusing to stay the telecast of the serial, the court asked ZTL to file its reply and affidavit on or before 20 June, Monday and place before it the CD/VCD of the first episode of the scheduled programme.

  • 20th Century Fox contests Zee’s ‘Time Bomb’ in Delhi HC

    20th Century Fox contests Zee’s ‘Time Bomb’ in Delhi HC

    MUMBAI: Subhash Chandra and partner-turned-rival Rupert Murdoch are at loggerheads again. News Corp promoted Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation has moved the Delhi High Court, challenging Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL) for copyright violation.

    Twentieth Century Fox has alleged that Zee TV’s upcoming thriller Time Bomb is a copied version of its ongoing TV serial 24. Time Bomb is slated for launch on 20 June, Monday.

    According to a PTI report, Justice B D Ahmed issued a notice to ZTL on a lawsuit filed by Twentieth Century Fox.

    Senior advocate R K Anand, and C M Lall, appearing for 20th Century Fox, contended that the act of ZTL amounts to infringement of copyright bestowed on the serial 24.

    20th Century Fox said it was shocked when it recently learnt that the ZTL was in the process of producing and launching a television serial titled Time Bomb. According to the company, ZTL CMD Subhash Chandra had earlier inquired representatives of 20th Century Fox in India about the possibility of licensing the rights to 24 to create a local version in India. But the company had told Chandra that time that the licensing would not be possible.

    The company added that, later, when it had an opportunity of viewing a power point presentation of the serial prepared by ZTL, it found out that the characterisation, storyline and the script of Time Bomb had numerous similarities to 24.

    However, ZTL got a breather when the court refused to stay the proposed 20 June launch of the serial. The court has asked ZTL to file its reply and affidavit on or before 20 June, Monday and place before it the CD/VCD of the first episode of the scheduled programme.

    Reacting to the developments, Essel Group VP corporate communications and brand development group Ashish Kaul told indiantelevision.com that the channel had no issue in fighting its case in the court. “Time Bomb is an Indian story set in the International backdrop. The concept and the story of Time Bomb belong to its director Ketan Mehta.”

    Zee’s counsel Maninder Singh, and Pratibha Singh refuted Fox’s allegation saying the thriller produced by the domestic channel had nothing to do with the American serial and they were ready to pass the test by the court.

    The serial 24 revolves around the security agencies’ efforts to protect the US President from an international terrorist attack. Zee’s Time Bomb is an international political thriller on global terror with its epicenter in South Asia. The story revolves around a plot to assassinate a young and dynamic Indian prime minister.

    When asked to comment on 20th Century Fox’s argument that Zee had used 24’s ’24 hours – 24 episode format’ for Time Bomb, Kaul said that was a very broad definition. “This way, none would be able to make shows,” he argued.

    Time Bomb will be a fixed duration serial that will run for 25 weeks as a weekly one hour show (Monday 10 pm – 11 pm). The first episode is supposed to be a curtain raiser.