ITV

Tag: Tom Toumazis

  • Buena Vista, BT sign video on demand deal in the UK

    Buena Vista, BT sign video on demand deal in the UK

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, and BT Plc, have announced that they have concluded a multi-year broadband video-on-demand rental agreement in the UK.

    This will make available, on-demand, a selection of upcoming, current and library movies from BVITV’s portfolio via BT’s upcoming next-generation TV service, BT Vision. This agreement is in line with The Walt Disney Company’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution, asserts an official release.
    Through this agreement, BT Vision’s customers will be able to purchase on-demand a selection of current and upcoming features from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films. Titles include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Shaggy Dog and Scary Movie 4. The agreement also includes a range of library features, adds the release.

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis said, “As flexibility and choice of content become increasingly important factors to the entertainment consumer, we’re pleased to be working with BT to offer this strong selection of our movie titles to BT Vision’s customers across the UK, in a convenient range of ways on this exciting new digital service.”

    BT Vision CEO Dan Marks said, “We are delighted to announce this agreement with The Walt Disney Company. BT Vision’s film service will be immensely strengthened by our ability to offer current movies from one of the strongest studios and a great selection of titles from Disney’s magnificent catalogue. We look forward to working with Disney to develop and use innovative technology to continue providing our customers with choice, convenience and control over their movie-watching.”

    At launch, BT Vision customers will be able to enjoy a vast range of film, music and television programming available on-demand as well as interactive services and all the Freeview channels, all available on the TV, with no compulsory subscription. This combination, delivered on a software platform powered by Microsoft and through a set-top box made by Philips, will allow customers choice, control and convenience.

    BT Vision has already announced content deals with a range of entertainment companies including Dreamworks, i-concerts, Eagle Rock, BBC Worldwide, Paramount, Warner Music Group, National Geographic Channel,Universal,SONY BMG, Viacom and Turner Broadcasting; as well as with independents including Lionsgate, Entertainment Rights plc, NBD Television and Wall to Wall Television. BT Vision has also announced near-live FA Premier League matches from the 2007-2008 season, adds the release.

    This agreement was concluded by BVITV vice president Digital Media Damian Newton and executive director Sales UK and Ireland Catherine Powell, working with BT Vision’s director business affairs Mark Cranwell and head of film Bobbie Fox.

  • UK rights for ‘Lost’ move from Channel 4 to Sky

    UK rights for ‘Lost’ move from Channel 4 to Sky

    MUMBAI: New seasons of the show Lost will be seen exclusively on Sky One in the UK.

    An agreement has been done between BSkyB and Buena Vista International Television (BVITV). Sky One has secured deals for seasons three and four of the show which airs in India on Star Movies. With this agreement, Sky will also make the series available to viewers on its broadband and mobile platforms.

    The rights were earlier with Channel 4 which has aired the first two seasons. Sky One, Two and Three director of programming Richard Woolfe says, “We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Lost to Sky One. The series has defined TV drama over the last two years and has been the envy of every network. Today’s audiences demand more quality and flexibility than ever before.

    “So we are intending to use various digital media platforms to make Lost available to our customers when they want and how they want … ensuring that they never miss the mysterious goings on of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. This outstanding series will bring even more entertainment to Sky customers and demonstrate our strengths in multi-platform content and innovation.”

    BVITV executive VP, MD Europe, Middle East and Africa Tom Toumazis says, “We’re delighted to be partnering with Sky to launch much-anticipated new seasons of the globally successful US series in the UK. We are confident that Sky will build upon the established success of Lost across TV and digital media platforms, bringing the series to viewers in flexible ways, ideally suited to its watercooler, must-see status.”
     

  • Disney’s High School Musical to premiere on Disney channels across Europe

    MUMBAI: Disney channel original movie High School Musical is set to hit terrestrial television in 15 countries across Europe, including Italy, Germany, France and Russia.

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis said, “As High School Musical’s international fanbase grows ever-stronger on Disney Channel, we are delighted to also be working with key terrestrial TV clients in a wide range of markets to launch it to yet more new fans later this year and into 2007.”

    This will add new terrestrial TV sales for the made-for-TV musical made by Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company.

    The contemporary ‘break into song’ production has been licensed to the broadcasters RAI in Italy, ProSieben in Germany, ORF in Austria and M6 France, along with RTE in Ireland, ERT Greece, TRT Turkey and CYBC Cyprus. In Central and Eastern Europe, Channel One in Russia has also licensed it, as have TV2 Hungary, TV Media Planet Ukraine, TVR Romania, Pop TV Slovenia, and A1 Televizija in Macedonia. High School Musical has already been licensed to the BBC in the UK, for broadcast on BBC One later this year, and is expected to be licensed to many more key markets within the next month, informs an official release.

    It will premiere on other international Disney Channels throughout 2006, with its UK Disney Channel premiere set for September.

    The High School Musical US premiere in January broke Disney Channel ratings records, and for its 14 airings, has now been seen by over 40 million unduplicated total viewers. In June, the movie premiered on Disney Channels in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia and delivered the best-ever results for a Disney Channel Original Movie in all of these markets.

    High School Musical made its international terrestrial TV debut on 1 July in primetime on Seven Network Australia and was the timeslot winner against all major demos. It is the No. 1 movie in 2006 for tweens 10-15 delivering a 17.9/67 per cent rating/share and also the No. 2 movie on Seven Network this year with a 9.5/40 per cent rating/share for the Under 55s. It premiered on TV2 New Zealand on 19 August, and was the No. 1 programme of the night amongst People 5+, adds the release.

    In August, the movie received two Emmy Awards, an Imagen Award and three Teen Choice Awards. It has also won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming.

    In the US, the soundtrack is No. 1 of the year to date, and is now certified triple-Platinum, delivering six Gold-certified singles since its debut in January. In addition to being the year’s #1 album so far, it is also the #1 soundtrack and #1 Kids’ album of the year to-date. High School Musical is also currently Disney’s biggest TV-based DVD title in the US, adds the release.

     

  • ITV acquires ‘Six Degrees’ from BVITV

    ITV acquires ‘Six Degrees’ from BVITV

    MUMBAI: ITV has inked an exclusive UK deal with Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) for the licensing of Six Degrees, a new drama series from J.J. Abrams (creator of Lost) to air on its flagship channels ITV1 and 2. This makes Six Degrees the first US series to be aired in primetime on ITV1 in nine years.

    Six Degrees follows New Yorkers from all walks of life, whose lives unexpectedly become intertwined. The show will air in the US on the ABC Television Network this autumn in a primetime slot, following Grey’s Anatomy. Six Degrees is a story that underlines just how small the world really is, and how someone, just five metres away might be shaping our future right now.

    The show stars Jay Hernandez (Friday Night Lights), Erika Christensen (Flightplan), Bridget Moynahan (Sex and the City), Dorian Missick (Lucky Number Slevin), Hope Davis (About Schmidt) and Campbell Scott (The Secret Lives of Dentists). Its executive producers are J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk (Lost, Alias), Stu Zicherman and Raven Metzner (Elektra), and it is produced by Touchstone Television.

    ITV director of acquisitions Jay Kandola said, “My aim was to get brand defining shows for the ITV Network. I am delighted that Six Degrees will be a contemporary exciting new addition to the ITV1 and ITV2 offering.”

    BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis added, “As US series continue to return to primetime around the world, we are delighted to be working with ITV to launch Six Degrees in primetime on ITV1. We are sure that the series’ production pedigree and strong cast will appeal strongly to a UK audience.”

    The agreement was closed by ITV’s Kandola and BVITV executive director sales, UK and Ireland Catherine Powell.

  • BVITV and Flextech TV ink UK licensing agreement

    BVITV and Flextech TV ink UK licensing agreement

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney’s Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) and Flextech Television have announced a UK licensing agreement for the launch of acquired US network series content on Flextech’s new broadband service.

    As per the agreement with BVITV, Flextech’s new service will offer on-demand and on a rental basis, series like Grey’s Anatomy, Extreme Makeover and Alias, which air on Living TV and Bravo.

    Accessible via the channel websites www.livingtv.co.uk and www.bravo.co.uk, the service enables UK users to download episodes that will be available for a 24 hour window within seven days of downloading, informs an official release.

    In partnership with online broadcasting solutions provider Servecast and protected by Digital Rights Management software, this new service will enable viewers to download Living TV and Bravo’s homegrown shows. In addition, episodes of commissioned programme brands such as Most Haunted, Sin Cities and Real Football Factories will also be available for download, priced at £2.50 per episode.

    The release adds that the line-up of titles available for download will be coordinated with Living TV and Bravo’s linear schedules, maximising the on-air promotional opportunities created by the new service, with series two of a programme appearing on air as the first series becomes available online. Free episodes will also offer tasters of the latest shows on the Living TV and Bravo channels.

    Commenting on the agreement, BVITV EMEA executive VP and MD Tom Toumazis said, “We are working closely with international partners to use new technology in bringing our content to consumers in flexible new ways, and are pleased that viewers in the UK will now be able to enjoy these gripping hit series on demand through our agreement with Flextech.”

    Flextech Television head of interactive Edward Humphrey said, “We’ll experiment with a variety of pricing models including PPV, packaging and subscriptions to better understand how our audience wants to purchase TV content online. We’ll also continue to offer free preview downloads of new shows – as recently demonstrated with Bravo’s Man’s Work – to encourage sampling of new content.”

    The new service provides another medium for audiences to connect with Flextech’s brands, which are already available as linear TV channels, via cable video-on-demand, on the web and via mobile networks, adds the release.

  • Channel 4 signs Vod deal for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    Channel 4 signs Vod deal for ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’

    MUMBAI: UK broadcaster Channel 4 has announced an agreement with Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, to acquire the exclusive UK video-on-demand rights to Lost and Desperate Housewives.

    In India, the shows airs on Star Movies and Star World respectively.

    This deal is Disney’s first in Europe for VOD rights to its network series and is in line with Disney’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution.

    The pay per view Vod service will launch tomorrow 27 April when the entire series of Lost season one will be available on-demand at www.channel4.com/lost and to digital TV customers via ntl Telewest’s on-demand service. Episodes of the hit series can be purchased for 99p and watched an unlimited number of times within a 24 hour period.

    Access to the service will be limited to the UK. ntl Telewest has also secured the rights for content to be shown in high-definition.

    Channel 4 CEO Andy Duncan said, “Channel 4 is the most distinctive brand in UK television and we want to protect and enhance this reputation by making our award-winning content available across multiple platforms. By partnering exclusively on the VOD rights to two of the biggest shows on TV, we will work together to reach and grow on-demand audiences. This deal with BVITV reinforces Channel 4’s plans to make content available ‘anytime, anywhere’ and is a fantastic way of demonstrating our ambitions in this area.”

    BVITV VP, MD Europe, Middle East and Africa Tom Toumazis said, “This ground-breaking agreement represents our first step in launching our network series on Vod to the European market. We’re committed to working with partners with strong new media strategies, such as Channel 4, to harness new technology in bringing our hit programming to viewers in fresh and innovative ways. We also remain committed to providing legitimate ways in which to download content, and believe that offering these two series in this way is a significant step.”

    Touchstone Television president Mark Pedowitz says, “The creative appeal of Lost and Desperate Housewives transcends borders and we are thrilled the content will be available on-demand to UK consumers”.

    Channel 4 new business director Rod Henwood said, “This is a significant step in Channel 4’s plans to launch a full video-on-demand service across multiple platforms later this year. Partnering with Disney on these two stand-out shows illustrates the critical strategic importance of VOD to Channel 4.”

    Also, Lost season two will be available via www.channel4.com and to subscribers of ntl Telewest 14 days after their first UK broadcast and to promote the service for a two week period the first two episodes will be offered to viewers free of charge. Episodes will be streamed on Channel4.com and can be viewed on a PC using Windows Media Player.

    On demand episodes of Desperate Housewives season two will be available from 4 May with episodes of the first season available later that month.

  • Buena Vista Intl TV EMEA appoints Taylor as VP legal & business affairs

    Buena Vista Intl TV EMEA appoints Taylor as VP legal & business affairs

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) EMEA has appointed Simon Taylor as vice president legal and business affairs. This was announced by BVITV EMEA executive vice president and managing director Tom Toumazis and Disney senior vice president and European general counsel Peter Wiley.

    In this London-based role, Taylor will be responsible for managing all legal and business affairs for BVITV’s television and new media distribution business. Within this, he will work closely with both Toumazis and Wiley, and will manage a BVITV legal and business affairs team of 11 based in London and Paris. He will also become a member of BVITV’s executive team.

    Taylor will join BVITV next month from his role as business consultant to a range of clients in the entertainment broadcasting, production and distribution sectors. Prior to this, he was HIT Entertainment’s legal and business affairs director from 2000 to 2002. Before that he was at BBC TV Programme Acquisition as head of business and legal affairs from 1994 to 2000.

    Toumazis said, “I’m delighted that someone with Simon’s experience and knowledge of the industry will help us manage the number of business opportunities and legal issues we face in the industry, including emerging new technology platforms and assisting with our continued efforts against piracy.”

    Wiley added, “Simon’s extensive track record of in-house legal experience in the international media industry will prove invaluable for our whole company.”

    “I’m excited to be joining such a dynamic business and looking forward to working with the team to further success, working with the great content BVITV has, and helping take advantage of the opportunities that the market has to offer,” said Taylor.