ITV

Tag: TV

  • BBC World Service’s English teaching initiative completes 10 years

    BBC World Service’s English teaching initiative completes 10 years

    MUMBAI: BBC World Service has announced that its English language teaching service celebrates 10 years online this month. The site receives 10 million page impressions a month – 19 million if one counts English Language Teaching material on partner websites.

    Special features on www.bbclearningenglish.com to mark the anniversary include:

    A mini retro site displaying classic pages from the archives
    A specially commissioned piece by linguist David Graddol discusses who will be learning English in the future and how and what they will be learning
    A blogging facility providing daily language support to individual bloggers via a teacher’s weblog

    The website also features Flatmates – BBC World Service’s first interactive soap; Ask About English, where experts answer users’ questions; and Keep Your English Up To Date, in which Professor David Crystal discusses new words.

    And there are interactive teaching games Back of the Net and Commentary Box and a range of short audio programmes with quizzes, glossaries and downloadable scripts on lifestyle and entertainment.

    For teachers of English, weekly lesson plans based on topical news stories are available.

  • Animax to launch in Korea on 29 April

    Animax to launch in Korea on 29 April

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) and Korean satellite TV broadcaster SkyLife will be launching their joint venture channel Animax in Korea on 29 April.

    The announcement was made by SPTI international networks president Andy Kaplan and SkyLife CEO Dong-Koo Surh.

    Animax in Korea will be a 24-hour local program provider focusing on animation programming that will be carried exclusively on SkyLife’s DTH platform, which has a subscriber base of about 1.9 million in Korea.

    Unlike other animation channels in Korea, which focus mainly on programming for young children, Animax will air programs for teens and young adults. With various genres from anime producers, Animax will offer a wide variety of programming choices, including comedies, science fiction, action, dramas and thrillers.

    God Save Our King!, Monkey Typhoon, The Count of Monte Cristo, Otogi Zoshi, The Adventures of Tweeny Witches and Galaxy Angels, are among the first-run programs airing exclusively on Animax in Korea. Additionally, Animax will air popular local Korean animation programs such as Yorang-Ah and Black Rubber Shoes.

    Animax in Korea is part of SPTI’s expansion plans for its international network portfolio which now includes over 40 channels around the world.

    Animax Korea representative director Marty Hong said, “Animax Korea will be differentiated by a line-up of high quality programs and sophisticated graphic design elements. We will lead a new trend among animation channels and we also hope that by leveraging the distribution network of Sony, we will be able to contribute to the local animation industry.”

    “Sony Pictures Television International is committed to growing its international networks group, and Korea figures prominently in our plans. We launched our AXN channel in Korea on SkyLife last year and we’re thrilled to be working with them again on launching Animax in Korea. We now have Animax channels in Japan, South and Southeast Asia and Latin America, and the channels have been embraced by audiences everywhere. The thirst for quality anime programming is apparent and we’ll strive to make sure Animax in Korea offers the best anime shows,” said Kaplan.

    Surh added, “We are pleased to launch such a global channel as Animax, which will create a buzz in the animation industry. We think that the addition of Animax will add great value in terms of content differentiation of SkyLife and we will continue our efforts to secure strong content in various ways in the future.”

  • Animal Planet’s contest looks to unearth talent

    Animal Planet’s contest looks to unearth talent

    MUMBAI: This is a piece of news that should interest aspiring filmmakers who are passionate about animals.

    Animal Planet is searching for the next great wildlife filmmaker globally. The four-part reality series Unearthed will follow six contestants on an intensive training course as they learn the essential skills and realities of creating a natural history documentary.

    The budding directors and animal enthusiasts will carry out their challenges at the award-winning Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa in July 2006, competing to ultimately have their film chosen the winner.

    Industry experts and wildlife filmmakers Lyndal Davies and Andrew Barron will guide the contestants through their tasks on the course. The tutors will provide invaluable inside knowledge to help the students each shoot and edit their own short wildlife film.
    An international panel of experts will judge the final documentaries, and the winner will have his or her film broadcast on Animal Planet in 160 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

    To apply for one of the six places on this amazing course all participants have to do is to go to www.animalplanet.co.uk/unearthed and download the application form and send it in by 5 May, 2006 to the following address:

    Animal Planet – Unearthed
    Discovery Networks India
    9/1 B Qutab Institutional Area
    Aruna Asaf Ali Marg
    New Delhi-110 067, India

  • Trai issues paper on cable tariffs for commercial purposes

    Trai issues paper on cable tariffs for commercial purposes

    NEW DELHI: In a bid to bring about a semblance of difference between cable TV pricing for commercial purpose (like in Hotels) and home subscribers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today issued a consultation paper to discuss the issue before finalizing some recommendations.

    The Trai paper on commercial tariff seeks to discuss issues like whether there is a need to fix tariffs for commercial purposes and its methodology, definitions of commercial consumers and how they can be differentiated from non-commercial consumers.

    A tariff order of 1 October 2004 did not distinguish between commercial and other services.
    However, while dealing with a batch of petitions filed by the hotel and restaurant industry, the TDSAT (disputes tribunal) in its judgment of 17 January, 2006 had pointed out that the regulator’s earlier order did not cover commercial services.

    Accordingly, after careful examination Trai decided as an interim measure to amend the tariff order and provide for a ceiling for commercial tariff also.

    The present consultation paper is part of an exercise to discuss the issue in detail with broadcast industry stakeholders and those representing the hotels and restaurants.

  • CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    MUMBAI: CNN will produce three programmes with the Clinton Global Initiative to be broadcast on both CNN International and CNN/US in April, August and September of this year. The former US president Bill Clinton will be a featured guest at each of the hour-long events.

    “These programs once again highlight CNN’s position as a global platform for news and debate. To pull together such important world players to discuss critical issues plays right to heart of CNN’s international audience,” said CNN International senior VP Rena Golden.

    The end of Aids: A Global Summit with president Clinton is the first special event and will premiere in April. The program takes a unique perspective on the Aids crisis. Imagine for an hour that Aids has been eradicated. How did it happen? What role did government, drug companies and non-governmental organizations play in ending the Aids crisis? How will the unique public-private model employed at the Clinton Global Initiative be a factor in this eradication? CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will moderate a discussion that will include some of the world’s leading Aids experts and activists, informs an official statement.

    Setting the scene for the debate, CNN Africa Correspondent Jeff Koinange travels to Botswana, where 40 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS, and reports on how the government is testing for HIV. The end of Aids will also look at the most promising forms of treatment and the most effective government policies. The goal is to see how AIDS can be brought under control and eventually defeated.

    In August, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who reported on last year’s devastating hurricanes along the US Gulf Coast, will moderate the second Global Summit. The focus of this forum will be on poverty – not only in third world countries, but also in the US– and what is being done to reduce it. Poverty is one of the four topic areas at the Clinton Global Initiative.

    CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour will moderate the third and final Global Summit in September on the eve of the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Participants of this forum will discuss various topics of global significance including climate change, mitigating religious conflicts, global public health and effective global governance.

  • Cartoon Network’s Tom & Jerry to promote ICICI Bank’s ‘Young Stars Account’

    Cartoon Network’s Tom & Jerry to promote ICICI Bank’s ‘Young Stars Account’

    MUMBAI: ICICI Bank is now wooing kids via the cat and mouse pair – Tom & Jerry. The bank has tied up with Cartoon Network wherein the toons will be the brand ambassadors for its special and innovative ‘Young Stars’ account.

    Young Stars is a unique savings account tailored to suit the banking requirements of children. The Young Stars account allows children, upto the age of 18 years, to learn and manage their finances; while the account is operated and monitored completely by the parents.

    Children above the age of seven years will get a personalised international debit card with the Young Stars account. This is an innovative attempt to guide children through the world of banking.

    ICICI Bank has made the banking experience exciting by offering interesting facilities including a special recurring deposit, free international debit card and free internet banking. There are also facilities that only parents can access such as – online opening of fixed deposit, recurring deposit and funds transfer from parent to child’s account.

    ICICI Bank executive director Chanda Kochhar said, “The Young Stars account is another pioneering product from ICICI Bank that initiates children to world of banking and finances. With this innovative product, the entire family is involved with the bank and while parents can monitor their child’s expenses, children learn to manage their expenses themselves. This product will inculcate the habit of saving money amongst kids, while making it a fun filled and exciting experience. We are delighted to be associated with Cartoon Network’s toon stars, Tom & Jerry and with their support are sure that Young Stars will be become a popular product among children.”

    Cartoon Network Enterprises – India and South Asia director Jiggy George said, “The exciting and innovative promotional licensing deal with ICICI Bank for their ‘Young Stars’ account yet again proves the power of Cartoon Network and the mass appeal of the Network’s toon stars. I am positive that Tom & Jerry, who continue to rule the hearts of Indian kids and adults, will help make this innovative initiative from ICICI Bank even more attractive. We are delighted to be partnering with ICICI Bank, one of the most respectable brands in the finance sector and look forward to our mutual success.”

  • China begins shift to digital TV; 41 cities targeted in 1st phase

    China begins shift to digital TV; 41 cities targeted in 1st phase

    MUMBAI: China is progressing towards a complete shift to digital signal television. An official from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has been quoted in media reports as saying that, all analog signal television programs will be stopped and replaced with digital signals by the year of 2015.

    Currently, 41 cities and regions in the country are shifting from analog signal to digital signal, according to the report.

    The official also said, some cities including Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Qingdao had already completed the conversion, and others including Dalian, Taiyuan and Foshan are expected to complete their switch-over within the year.

    The overall digitalization of cable television will be done in three steps. The first step started in 2003 when the digitalization work began. In the second step which starts in 2006, digitalized satellite live broadcasting technology will be adopted. The third step begins in 2008 when fuller digitalization will be realized.

  • ITV launches gaming network on Freeview

    ITV launches gaming network on Freeview

    MUMBAI: UK terrestrial ITV launched its newest digital channel, the interactive gaming network ITV Play, on Freeview, with programming to include the first show spawned from the broadcaster’s purchase of the Friends Reunited website.

    The channel airs daily from noon to 4 a.m. on Freeview, and is also available to be streamed live on itv.com. ITV Play launched at the end of March in the after-midnight slots on ITV1 and ITV2. The channel will be ITV’s first non-advertising-funded channel.

    Programming in the channel line-up includes The Mint, currently also airing on ITV1, which offers up cash prizes for a range of challenges; and This Morning Puzzle Book, produced by the This Morning team from Manchester.

    Friends Reunited – The School Run builds on the interest in nostalgia that is at the heart of the Friends Reunited website, which ITV bought last December. Based on a huge interactive board game, the show brings classmates together to test their knowledge of facts and trivia from a particular year.

    Also, all interactive programming, games and quizzes on ITV’s family of conventional TV channels, online and mobile will fall under the ITV Play banner, including the new Bullseye game, only available on ITV.com.

    The venture is part of ITV’s larger strategy to create new revenue streams and become a viable multi-channel offering. It aims to invest more in the participation TV sector to help build a long-term sustainable business by using its programme brands to create interactive formats.

    ITV Play controller William van Rest said, “ITV has a great heritage in producing the biggest and best live, interactive programmes and this is exactly what we want to do with ITV Play.”

  • NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal and its 213 affiliate stations have formed a joint venture called National Broadband Co to sell news, lifestyle, sports, weather and other video generated by local stations,.

    The new company is intended to gives NBC stations access to millions of dollars in advertising migrating from traditional TV to the Internet.
    NBC Affiliates Board chairman Terry Mackin said, “The joint venture will allow us to serve the market that seems to have an insatiable appetite for video.”

    The company will be majority owned by NBC and offer behind-the-scenes and other video from the NBC Universal library along with footage produced by affiliates.

  • Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    MUMBAI: Americans rate the importance and relevance of local commercial radio very highly, despite the entry of high-technology competition, a national survey commissioned by American Media Services showed.

    The survey found that 78 per cent said radio is important in their everyday lives, and 91 per cent said radio is important in American life in general. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) said they listen to radio at least once a day.

    The telephone survey of 1,004 American adults was conducted from 13 – 15 April, 2006 by Omnitel, the weekly omnibus survey by the national polling firm of GfK NOP of Princeton. The survey is considered accurate within plus or minus three percentage points.

    The new findings complement those in AMS’ initial survey in January: 64 per cent said they were listening to radio as much as, or more than, they were five years ago.

    “The evidence from our polls and others is conclusive that people are continuing to listen to their local, free radio stations. Arbitron and Edison Media Research just conducted a national survey of 1,925 respondents that revealed 77 per cent of Americans expect to continue to listen to their radio in the future as much as they are today,” said American Media Services president and CEO Ed Seeger.

    In the AMS survey, 57 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women said they listen to radio at least daily. The availability of music, news and reports on weather and traffic continues to be the most often cited reasons for listening to the radio, with 98 per cent of respondents saying they listen to radio for one of those features. “Radio doesn’t need to reinvent itself. It just needs to get its story out in the marketplace. It continues to thrive with the same basic programming we have embraced for the past half-century,” said Seeger.

    Other findings of the survey include:

    78 per cent usually tune to a local radio station when they get in their car.
    More people had a favorite local radio personality in their local markets (37 per cent) than a favorite television personality per cent (32 per cent), newspaper personality (seven per cent) or personality on a local internet site (one per cent).
    When asked what about the different qualities that make a good radio personality, they ranked four as most important: 89 per cent said they liked to listen to someone who makes them think, 82 per cent said one who makes them laugh, 79 per cent wanted a personality they could trust, and 76 per cent said a good radio personality has strong ties to the local community.
    Overall, 41 per cent of respondents said they liked to listen to stations that have a good balance of music, news, weather and traffic information. That rated above playing their kind of music (26 per cent) or making them laugh (3 per cent).
    Of those respondents who had a “favorite media personality,” 37 per cent said their favorite personality worked on the radio, while 32 per cent said their favorite worked on television.
    61 per cent of those likely to change stations during commercial breaks do so in a minute or less.