ITV

Tag: TV

  • Digital living in Asia, a global perspective

    Digital living in Asia, a global perspective

    SINGAPORE: In the second session on global digital living, a Parks Associates survey of 13 nations revealed that Asian countries are leading the way in the digital homes arena.

    The session, which was addressed by Parks Associates, USA director of research, John Barrett, analysed the digital trends within Asia and compared them to other countries. He also touched upon key topics like consumer attitudes, market structure and current practices.

    He said, “Asian consumers express high demand for new digital service but a low willingness to pay.” When queried on what is driving the growth, Barrett said, “There are some notable differences with western countries. One is that there is wide availability of content and deeper broadband penetration have resulted in Asians being more likely to use computers a entertainment platforms.”

    Secondly, Asian CATV providers are weaker than their North American counterparts because the demand for TV services is not as strong in Asia as it is in North American. Also, piracy is a much greater concern in Asia because copyright provisions are more weakly enforced and commercial piracy more common.

    Some key points which emerged were:

    * Korea, Taiwan were the top two countries ranked high on the Digital Living index
    *53 per cent of Asian internet households are interested in viewing digital photos on their TV compared top just 43 per cent of European Internet HHs and 28 per cent of North American HHS
    *Asian Internet Households are willing to spend on an average $ 7 per month for a video-on-demand service compared to $11 per month in Europe and North America.

  • And now a interactive version of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’

    And now a interactive version of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’

    SINGAPORE: Looks like weaving in interactive elements to popular TV formats for the growing number of digitally savvy audiences is the next trend to keep a show going. The new interactive version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire (KBC in India), a popular format devised by David Briggs, is not just helping the show retain a prime time but even raking in moolah.

    At a packed auditorium on Wednesday morning, HTTV France Sales & Marketing director Jean Christopher Jubin said, “The show has had its run in countries like UK, France and Italy for a long time now. But the last three years, the ITV version of the show, with weaved in multi-media elements is what has helped retain the popularity of the show.”

    What really is the ITV version of the show? On the digital sets, viewers can participate in the show. Though they can’t really win a million by answering multiple-choice questions but can make at least 1000 Euros per week just sitting at home. The UK ITV version of the show has a multimedia theme version, synchronized version where viewers can respond and interact with the host at the same without disturbing the ongoing game.

    When queried on the business proposition and the heavy cost incurred for weaving in the interactive elements, Jubin said, “Audiences either pay for the model or then pay per time (i.e the time they play the game for). The revenue streams are also being generated as a result of a tie-up between broadcasters, producers and operators where you can charge for pay per play.

    Currently the ITV version of the popular format has generated more than 2.5 million SMSs on an average per session and can earn up to 3 to 4 euros per person. So, with the digital homes in Europe the revenue will continue to see a upward trend.

  • Prasad EFX delivers VFX for Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krrish’

    Prasad EFX delivers VFX for Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krrish’

    MUMBAI: Prasad EFX, one of the largest Digital Post Production Studios in India, has executed more than 1200 VFX shots for the upcoming Hrithik Roshan starrer Krrish.

    The movie, produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan, is loaded with spectacular VFX and is all set to catapult Indian VFX to Hollywood standards, says the company in an official release.

    VFX Supervisors from Hollywood Craig Mumma and Marc Kolbe, worked with a team of more than 100 VFX specialists in Prasad EFX to come out with the VFX sequences.

    Prasad EFX senior team leader Himakumar says, “We have done very high end 3D modeling and animation including whole body scans. A lot of 3D models of cars, bikes, helicopter, birds and animals were created and animated to match live action footage. Fire sequences are always a challenge and we have used it to great effect in Krrish. Very complicated wire removals and compositing work were minutely executed, so were critical special effects that add intensity to images and action shots. A whole futuristic set was designed and implemented by the team at Prasad EFX in 3D.”

    Rakesh Roshan says, “Prasad EFX has exceeded my expectations because they’ve done a fantastic job – unbelievable! I was a bit tense as to whether it will be to the standard of Hollywood but I think they have lifted the status of the film to a very high level. It is not like Hollywood. It is Hollywood. I salute the entire EFX team.”

    Craig Mumma, who has to his credit films including Independence Day and Godzilla, says, “One of the reasons I was approached by Rakesh Roshan to work on Krrish was because we wanted to do some mind blowing, world standard VFX. We had to keep various things in mind, budgets, capability, infrastructure and so on. We looked at many studios and all our efforts pointed to Prasad EFX. I wanted to work with a company that will get involved with the project to a very deep level. EFX in my past couple of years of experience with other projects has delivered the goods well above my expectations.”

    Adds Craig, “Working with the people at Prasad EFX has been a great experience. They understand films, they understand VFX and that way I was able to get the most out of them. The VFX will be a trendsetter. We will see more of this happening in the future.”

    Prasad EFX also provided the Digital Intermediate service for Krrish. Senior line producer, DI, Rajiv Raghunathan says, “DI is catching on fast. Right now it is the big budget and special effects intensive movies that use this service. Once filmmakers understand the advantages of having a Digital Master at 2K/4K resolution, then only the full potential of DI will be realized. Digital Cinema, DVD masters, HD/Sd outputs, Mobile/PDA delivery, web and other future media can be served content from a single digital master resulting in consistency, cost & time savings and flexibility. Very soon DI will be part of the planning for all movies. One obvious change noticed in the past one year is that DI is being used more towards enhancing the look and feel of the film as opposed to correcting shooting flaws.”

    Prasad Film Labs made over 700 prints for Krrish for national and global distribution form the DI negatives, according to the official release.

  • The more or less challenge – the role of outsourcing

    The more or less challenge – the role of outsourcing

     SINGAPORE: With the broadcast industry rapidly going digital, broadcasters need to provide new services on their existing cost bases to achieve operational efficiencies to drive in business changes.

    So, besides other seminars on going digital, the third day’s afternoon session at Broadcast Asia focused on how broadcasters need to focus on their core competencies by outsourcing in other areas.

    Some of the important issues that were raised included – why outsourcing is relevant to the broadcast industry and what benefits it can bring. And most importantly what are some of the ways in which outsourcing can be delivered.

    Throwing light on the rapidly accelerating changes in the broadcast industry, Siemens Business Services Media head Saleha Williams said, “Broadcasters have to grow out of their traditional operating models which are no longer working, because of rapid technological changes and business models. Outsourcing can also save us from various revenue pressures which have come in with lots of competition with more platforms, audience fragmentation and increasing churn and new advertising models.”
    The seminar brought out five core elements to the technology change

    o Broadband

    o Mobile

    o PVR

    o HDTV

    o Increasing competition from gaming and other forms of non broadcast entertainment

    Some of the regulatory-led change are:

    o Digital broadcasting (analogue switch off)

    o Deregulation

    Willaims gave out some pointers on how outsourcing can help broadcasters

    o Outsourcing in broadcast markets as much about innovation as cost savings.

    o Solving new problems, such as distribution to emerging platforms.

    o Outsourcers act as a catalyst, enabling broadcasters to transform ways of working. At heart of every outsourcing relationship.

    o Economies of scale, improved operational effectiveness and off shoring.

    o Typically savings of 20-30%, but depends totally on the nature of the service.

    Williams also listed out some of the benefits achieved by outsourcing other parts of the world.

    o Outsourcing in broadcast markets as much about innovation as cost savings.

    o Solving new problems, such as distribution to emerging platforms.

    o Outsourcers act as a catalyst, enabling broadcasters to transform ways of working.

    · Significant technology investment needed to compete in changing broadcast market.

    o Outsourcers can help broadcasters smooth their investment profile.

    o Pay an annual charge i.e. from capex to opex.

    o Outsourcers and their partners provide greater specialisation.

    o Apply learning from working with other broadcast organisations.

    o Sometimes easier to measure and incentivise services provided externally.

    o At heart of every outsourcing relationship .Economies of scale, improved operational effectiveness and off shoring.

    o Typically savings of 20-30%, but depends totally on the nature of the service.

    o Allows broadcaster to concentrate more effectively on its business strategy.

    o Reduces the level of management attention required for non core activities.

    o Hands problem over to a third party.

    · Driven by cost savings and risk transfer / reduction.

    · Embeds outsource provider in broadcaster’s organisation.

    o Provides transformational change.

    o Driven by risk sharing / reduction and cost savings.

    o Flexibility

    Three Principal Issues

    o Not understood initial cost base or level of savings achievable in house

    o Not factored all costs into deal e.g. transition, management and termination

    o Maintain outsourced services in house (pay twice over)

    o Efficiencies change over time i.e. cost efficient process in 2006 may be an expensive one by 2010

    Reasons and Observations

    o Both actual falls and perception that service levels have fallen are important

    o Broadcaster culture – problems need solving at once even if not “on air”

    o Require realistic service levels to be agreed and communicated to all users

    o Broadcaster and outsourcer need to understand each other’s business drivers

    o Need to protect competitive strengths and strategic identity. For instance, a company outsourcing technology may decide to keep enough of its technology strategists in house to be in control of its technology vision.

  • Aamir Vs Aamir

    Aamir Vs Aamir

    Let me begin with a disclaimer. This is not a piece about how celebrities should conduct themselves in public or in media. It is not about whether or not they should get involved with or voice their opinions on politically or socially sensitive matters. It is not about whether they should do research on a controversial subject, acquaint themselves with ‘facts’ from both sides, and only then form an opinion instead of forming lazy opinions.

    Enough and more has been written or spoken on these subjects. We have heard Aamir and his supporters from the ‘industry’ and elsewhere. We have seen other celebrities such as Arundhati Roy and Rahul Bose share their opinion with us on several news TV stations. In fact, only recently, I read a beautifully written piece by Rahul Bose on intentblog, one of the best open blogs I have seen.

    It’s Aamir the actor who acts for a living versus Aamir the brand whose equity must be protected, grown and leveraged
    _____****_____

    My goal here is a little different. A little less selfless and more commercial, if you may. As a practitioner of marketing and communication, I am intrigued by the issues the Aamir-Narmada-Fanaa episode raises, even after the episode itself seems to have blown over.

    If you try to simplify an otherwise multi-textural issue, it’s Aamir the celebrity that endorses half a dozen high profile brands versus Aamir the concerned citizen who is compelled to raise his voice against seeming injustice. In fact, even more importantly, it’s Aamir the actor who acts for a living versus Aamir the brand whose equity must be protected, grown and leveraged.

    Now look at what the brand did. It [doesn’t sound right to refer to Aamir, as ‘it’, does it?] jumped out of its popularly accepted, rather linear domain of acting-to-entertain, into uncharted territory. Out of the larger-than-life fantasy world of the big screen, Dolby sound, and carefully directed retakes, into the grimy and sweaty world that millions live in every day. It could not have been an easy choice. Particularly when a brand extension [Fanaa] was weeks away from its launch. I know there are people out there who believe Aamir’s Narmada outburst and rather ‘suddenly’ found social conscience were part of a carefully orchestrated bridge strategy between Rang De Basanti and Fanaa. If that is true, I wonder how many product or service marketing managers would take such a risk before a launch. In fact, whether Aamir’s Narmada voice was a marketing tactic is not the real issue here.

    To me, the issue is whether brands need to learn a new lesson on how to communicate with their customers. Ever since brand management started as a discipline, most brands have tried to create and maintain a squeaky clean image, polished regularly by advertising. They have lived in a fantasy world where problems always disappear at the end of 30 seconds, ‘ordinary’ names always fail, rivals draw blood on an imaginary street. They have stood on pedestals and delivered sermons about the good and the evil, while obedient disciples listened with patience. Not unlike how Aamir and others in his profession talk to us in a theatre, if you think about it.

    But the truth is, brands live in our minds and hearts and we live in a society. The society isn’t a fantasy world; it’s where we return when the three hours of fantasy are over. It’s where parents take interviews, so that kids can get admission into a school, where neighbors fight over relatively trivial issues, where corruption is something we practice in day time and watch on TV at night.

    Do brands live in our society? With us? Should they?

    If we want to move from an era where consumers move from just knowing our brand to liking it, a thought that is finding increasing acceptance amongst seasoned brand marketers, we should perhaps think of brands as social beings.

    Should brands take a social stance? Or should they avoid any kind of controversy and stay sanitized and clean?
    _____****_____

    Not everyone in our society is our friend. Some people whose ideas and opinions are similar to ours, who have interests and hobbies common to ours, who help us face a challenge or leverage an opportunity, become our friends. Others become someone else’s friends. People fight normal fights, but we are most often loyal to our friends regardless of who is fighting against them. And while we might have many types of friends and sometimes we lose touch with some of them, we don’t change with friends very frequently.

    Do we see our brand as a friend like this?

    Here comes the provocation. In a world where people [consumers?] are getting increasingly cynical of marketing, advertising and brands, should we start breaking down some of the practices that built our powerful brands yesterday? Should we attempt to make the simple principles of friendship and social relationship work to create a relationship between our brand and attention challenged consumers?

    Should our brands step down from the hallowed pedestal and mingle with the masses? Should they take stances on issues of social importance and urgency, even if some of them might be controversial and ‘politically’ sensitive?

    Net, should brands take a social stance? Or should they avoid any kind of controversy and stay sanitized and clean?

    How come Aamir thought of doing something that Shah Rukh, Amitabh, Aishwarya, Lataji and Hritik haven’t done? Is Aamir the only one? How about Shabana? How about Gere?

    How come we regard Benetton, Bullet, MTV, Diesel, Harley, Zippo, Apple, Red Bull differently from countless others?

    If we think of brands broadly as mainstream and leading-edge, how they have built themselves, what chances they have taken, who owns them and how they behave, we might find some directions and explanations. But, then, that’s a broader subject, isn’t it?

    Do you have an opinion on brands taking a social stance. Help Ravi Kiran write the next chapter. Post your thoughts to editor@indiantelevision.com

    (The author is South Asia CEO Starcom MediaVest Group)

  • Changing media scenario a challenge for broadcast training institutes

    Changing media scenario a challenge for broadcast training institutes

    SINGAPORE: As the downpour continues in Singapore, Day 2 of Broadcast Asia 2006 kickstarts at the Expo City. The first session addressed the issue of capacity building of the broadcast sector.

    In the fast changing world of technology, broadcasters have to move twice as fast just to keep to where they are. The question then arises – How will they keep up with the explosion of new technologies and report on a world that is changing so fast? Engineers, programmers and managers in a broadcasting company are quite similar. The answer to this lies in training!

    Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in Malaysia has been training broadcasters for the last 30 years. According to AIBD programme manager K P Madhu, there are five core components to training. These are:

    1) Need assessments – Current deficiencies, future requirements, assessment of training readiness, training objectives and training needs analysis.

    2) Design – Courses/programmes, media – methods/needs, planned activities, evaluation schemes, target group specific training.

    3) Preparation – Presentations, leading discussion, management of practical session, evaluation of feedback, logistics.

    4) Training Evaluation – Training appraisals by trainees, analysis of adequacy, results.

    5) Feedback to Management – Human resources, assessment of future training needs.

    “We need to look at the developmental needs of broadcasters and there has to be sustained action for capacity building of broadcasters in the region. These need to be revisited and revised every year. Summits, conferences, workshops, courses, dialogues to address different group of people like managers, programmers, executives, producers etc need to be held for capacity building of broadcasters,” said Madhu.

    However, one of the major challenges that AIBD faces in training is that there has been a huge boom in the media space and training needs have multiplied manifold. Hence, in spite of all the facilities and training requirements that AIBD has, it has been difficult to keep pace with the ever changing media scenario. “The needs are much more than we can meet,” said Madhu.

    He further added, “One of the biggest hindrance for us here is funds. While the government and the broadcasters are ready to pump in money in a whole lot of other things, they are not very keen on investing in training. To convince them to put in funds for training is our biggest challenge.”

  • Mobile TV is creating a new demographic appeal in the US: Study

    Mobile TV is creating a new demographic appeal in the US: Study

    MUMBAI: Telephia, a measurement information provider to the mobile industry in the US, has announced a research undertaken shows that more than two million, or 1.4 percent, of the US wireless user base subscribed to a mobile video plan during the first quarter of 2006.

    The average U.S. mobile TV subscriber spends $40 a month more on wireless services than non-TV subscribers.

    Telephia president and CEO Sid Gorham says, “Mobile TV represents a huge revenue opportunity for companies in all parts of the communications and entertainment value chain.”

    Telephia research shows that the Hispanic and Black/African-American demographic groups made up 23 and 19 per cent of the mobile TV subscriber base in the US during the first quarter of this year, respectively. This is approximately double the share these groups represent of the broader mobile user population.

    “The early popularity of mobile TV with these groups continues the demographic trend we see in the adoption of all advanced mobile data services. Mobile TV will allow marketers to reach this audience with a wide range of innovative advertising and commerce approaches. To execute successfully on this exciting opportunity, the industry needs detailed research that tracks the evolving behavior and preferences of the mobile TV user. Our clients are particularly interested in using audience measurement data to target advertising and interactive commerce” adds Gorham.

    Telephia, had launched the industry’s first mobile television user panel last month. This longitudinal research panel will provide the mobile industry with detailed measurement of the attitudes and behaviours among the rapidly growing mobile TV audience.

    Telephia will begin by tracking users of the current unicast-based services (e.g. the MobiTV-based offerings on Sprint and Cingular Wireless, and Verizon’s V Cast service). The panel will expand to include subscribers of multicast mobile TV networks when they launch in late 2006 and 2007. Telephia is currently building its panel in the US and the UK and will expand coverage to the rest of Europe and parts of Asia in 2007.

  • PMO sets up panel to develop policy paper on radio, TV & digital tech

    PMO sets up panel to develop policy paper on radio, TV & digital tech

    MNEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has set up a committee to develop a policy paper for radio, television and digital technology to be covered under the 11th Five-Year plan.

    The high-profile panel’s first meeting will be held on 21 June. B.A.G Infotainment CEO and convener of Association of Radio Operators in India Rajiv Mishra and Times of India group’s AP Parigi are among the private sector nominees to the working group.

    The following activities will be covered by the newly-constituted group:

    # To suggest approaches for formulation of plans and programmes for radio and TV, keeping in view the emerging trends in technology, convergence issues, IP multimedia and IT-enabled media applications.

    # To recommend measures for optimum expansion of transmission network of radio and TV through appropriate technologies to hitherto uncovered areas.

    # To put in place the basic policy framework, fiscal incentives and workout a mission mode project for moving from analogue transmission to digital transmission before 2015.

    # To develop a mission mode project for implementation mobile media solutions by establishing requisite infrastructure for transmission in, say, 700 MHz band in association with mobile service providers and technology partners.

    # To identify excess spectrum and bandwidth arising through migration to digital transmission and work out strategies for its redeployment/farming.

    # To assess the total investment required in hardware and to suggest measures to stimulate greater private investment in this sector.

    The members of this group also include Prasar Bharati CEO, director-generals of Doordarshan and All India Radio, head of Broadcast Engineering Society of India Ltd, Planning Commission’s advisor of communication and information and IT software industry body Nasscom’s chairman Kiran Karnik.

  • Channel 4 picks up shows from Buena Vista

    Channel 4 picks up shows from Buena Vista

    MUMBAI: UK broadcaster Channel 4 has acquired exclusive UK rights to screen Buena Vista International Television’s (BVITV) shows Betty the Ugly and Brothers and Sisters.

    The deal was agreed between Channel 4 director of acquisitions Jeff Ford and BVITV executive director, sales, UK & Ireland Catherine Powell.

    Based on the Columbian telenovela Betty La Fea, Betty the Ugly is a quirky one hour comedy series executive produced by award-winning actress Salma Hayek and Silvio Horta.

    The show follows Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), a seemingly plain, but intelligent and hard-working, secretary at fashion magazine “Mode”. Between her boss Daniel and herself, neither of them knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but together they’re a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail.

    Actress Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) stars in the drama series, Brothers & Sisters. Flockhart stars alongside Rachel Griffiths Six Feet Under and Ron Rifkin Alias in this drama from producer Ken Olin Alias and Jon Robin Baitz, one of Broadway’s most prominent playwrights.

    As the adult children of William Walker, along with their respective families, gather to celebrate Kitty’s birthday, little do they know that, on this day, their lives will take a dramatic turn.

    Kitty’s radio success has led to a TV pundit job in Los Angeles, but her boyfriend in New York has just proposed. Thomas has joined forces with his sister, Sarah, a high powered executive and mother of three, in an effort to fix the family business. Kevin’s well-ordered life is shaken by the news that his ex-wife is moving his adolescent son to Texas. Justin, a Gulf War vet, has kicked nicotine, but other addiction’s keep him from moving forward in his career and love life.

    These siblings are about to find out that underneath the idyllic family facade lie many secrets that threaten to either tear the family apart or bring them closer together.

    Ford said, “We are delighted to have secured the rights to these much sought after series that confirm C4’s commitment to the best of US drama.”

  • Harris Corporation strikes TV transmission and turnkey services deal with ANTV Indonesia

    Harris Corporation strikes TV transmission and turnkey services deal with ANTV Indonesia

    MUMBAI: Florida-headquartered Harris Broadcast Communications Division has announced that PT Marlin Trisiana has purchased a Harris TV transmission system that will provide over-the-air service to all of Indonesia on behalf of its customer, ANTV, a terrestrial TV network there.

    ANTV is a terrestrial TV station in Indonesia and a joint venture between PT. CMA Indonesia (80 per cent) and Star (20 per cent). First aired in Lampung Province in 1993, ANTV is now a national station with an 85 per cent audience reach in the country.

    Delivery of the $6.9 million system begins this month, with a planned launch in late October. Harris will provide analog transmitters and spare parts, along with turnkey services for commissioning the transmission sites. PT Marlin Trisiana, a broadcast systems integrator based in Jakarta, will deliver the Harris transmission equipment, supply tower and antenna systems and provide civil works.

    As per the official communique, Harris will deliver two 120 kW Sigma analog transmitters, one each to sites in Jakarta and Surabuya where the bulk of the station’s broadcast signals will originate. Eight sets of 20 kW and nine sets of 5 kW Atlas(TM) analogue transmitters will be delivered to other sites in the country.