ITV

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  • Sony Pictures Imageworks picks up equity in FrameFlow

    BANGALORE: US based Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) has announced an equity investment in renowned visual effects and animation studio FrameFlow, which has its production operation in Chennai. As part of the deal, FrameFlow will become Imageworks India and will work seamlessly with Sony Pictures Imageworks’ main production facility in Culver City, California.

    The newly named entity expects to quadruple its workload in the coming years and deepen its capabilities through investments in infrastructure, technology and training from Sony Pictures Imageworks. Imageworks India also plans a significant growth in its current talent base of 80 employees. To accommodate anticipated expansion, Imageworks India will relocate to a larger office in Chennai with a seating capacity of up to 300.

     

    “We are extremely excited to announce this partnership with Sony Pictures Imageworks, an Academy Award-winning visual effects and animation facility. We are deeply honored to be chosen to join the Imageworks family. It’s a testament to the passion and talent of our team and creative leadership of Krishnakant Mishra to receive this supreme validation of the quality of our work “, commented Hitesh Shah, co-founder of FrameFlow and now the Co-Managing Director of Imageworks India .

     

    Also speaking at the occasion, Abhaya Kumar, Managing Director of FrameFlow’s Indian operation added, “This relationship represents the culmination of our strategic vision to expand and deepen our capabilities through integration with an industry leader like Imageworks. We look at this strategic investment as a part of the continuing Indian Success Story – one that elevates the standing of the whole Indian visual effects and animation industry on the global stage.”

     

    FrameFlow was founded three years ago to deliver high-quality effects support to top facilities worldwide. Prior to becoming Imageworks India, FrameFlow proved its value by working with Sony Pictures Imageworks on movies such as CLICK, GHOST RIDER and SPIDER-MAN 3 among many other projects.

     

    “The level of professionalism and quality of work that we experienced in working with the FrameFlow team was exemplary, and gave us the confidence to extend and establish a strong long term relationship ,” said Jenny Fulle, Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Imageworks and now the Co-Managing Director of Imageworks India . “We are very excited about expanding our capacity with Imageworks India in Chennai.

     

     

    As part of Sony Pictures Imageworks, Imageworks India will continue to provide visual effects and animation services as a resource to the industry. Imageworks India (formerly FrameFlow), has been a trusted partner to other top visual effects and animation studios in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

  • Central Government takes measures to promote entertainment industry

    Central Government takes measures to promote entertainment industry

    MUMBAI: With the intent of promoting the entertainment industry of India the Central Government has taken up various measures making it easier for the industry to explore avenues.

    The measures taken up by the government are:

    – Institutional and bank financing are now accessible to the entertainment industry.

    – 100 per cent foreign direct investment through automatic route has been permitted in the film sector.

    – Government has led participation in global markets, like Cannes Film Market, American Film Market, Berlin Film Market, Film Bazaar, etc., with a view to enhance the visibility of our film industry.

    – Film weeks and festivals will be held in with various countries.

    – An audio-visual co-production agreement has been signed with Republic of Italy and United Kingdom and similar proposals from other countries are being explored to expand avenues of finances and markets for the Indian Film Industry.

    – The Committee for Development of Entertainment sector, a sub-committee of the State Information Ministers’ Conference (SIMCON) set up to suggest policy framework for the film industry, recommended for reduction of entertainment tax, steps to counter piracy in the film sector, to facilitate foreign film shooting in India, etc. Through our vigorous effort the prevailing level of Entertainment tax has been reduced and the procedure has been simplified. The period required for granting permission to shoot foreign feature films in India has also been reduced.

    – The National Film Development Corporation, a public sector undertaking under this ministry will provide limited funding for films and oversee the integrated growth of the film industry in tune with the objectives of national economic policy.

    – Five core groups have been constituted to look into the various aspects of the film industry and suggest measures to promote the film industry.

    Local/regional Kendras of Doordarshan are promoting local artistes in the field of drama and music by providing them opportunities to participate in various in-house productions meant for the entertainment of viewers.

    Such entertainment programmes have also been produced/procured under different schemes like commissioned programmes, self-finance commissions, acquisition of programmes, Royalty etc.

    In the area of local programming, All India Radio (AIR) through 82 local radio stations caters to the needs of the local people radio stations and people even in remote areas taking into consideration the oral, folk and traditional forms of entertainment. AIR maintains archives of folk music.

    This Information was given by Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs P R Dasmunsi in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

  • Turner inks deal with Nokia for Cartoon Network mobile content

    Turner inks deal with Nokia for Cartoon Network mobile content

    MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting and Nokia have announced that high-quality content from Turner’s Cartoon Network will be made available for consumer downloads through the Nokia Content Discoverer client, embedded in Nokia devices available in markets globally. The territories covered under this agreement include United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

    Under this multi-country deal between the companies, mobile subscribers will be able to browse, download and purchase over-the-air Cartoon Network games, video clips, and other content from a dedicated Cartoon Network mobile content “storefront” available to consumers through the device-resident Nokia Content Discoverer client, part of Nokia’s complete mobile content ecosystem, informs an official release.

    A selection of Cartoon Network favourites – ranging from Johnny Bravo to Dexter’s Laboratory will be offered on the service. The new agreement provides a method for people to quickly access and enjoy Cartoon Network entertainment on buses, at school or in the office, according to Turner Broadcasting vice president Commercial Distribution and Digital Media Sales Phil Lawrie. 

    “Turner is delighted to offer a Cartoon Network catalog as part of the exciting Nokia Content Discoverer initiative,” said Lawrie. “Accessing and buying mobile content can often be challenging for the end-user. Having an embedded showcase for our Cartoon Network content as part of Nokia Content Discoverer will eliminate these barriers and provide a shop window for games, video clips, wallpapers and much more in the future. In a nutshell, it’s content purchase made easy – with a positive commercial outcome for all stakeholders: Turner, Nokia and the network operator. And our consumers will now be just a few key-strokes away from Cartoon Network favorites like The Powerpuff Girls and Dexter’s Laboratory.” 

    “Offering popular entertainment from Cartoon Network will greatly enhance the value of the Nokia Content Discoverer program to network operators and to the end consumers,” commented Forum Nokia (Nokia’s global developer program) director business development and channels Brad Brockhaug.

    “We’re excited by the addition of this outstanding new content catalog and look forward to working closely with Turner Broadcasting to address the enormous opportunities for content consumption in the global mobile marketplace.” 

    Nokia Content Discoverer facilitates easy access to downloadable content by mobile subscribers through a collection of shopping mall “stores” run by branded content providers, leading content aggregators and mobile service providers. Operators are able to build their own branded mobile shopping mall, with better positioning of content and the presence of the operator’s brand on the device, generating higher adoption. Consumers’ experience of content shopping is greatly enhanced through Nokia Content Discoverer’s advanced on-device caching of content catalog metadata which allows free browsing of the content stores in the mobile mall, as well as automatic content updates, integrated preview/prelisten and proficient content installation capabilities, adds the release.

    Nokia Content Discoverer is currently embedded in select S60 and Series 40 devices, including the Nseries multimedia devices (Nokia N70, N71, N72, N73, N80 and N93), Eseries devices for enterprise users (Nokia E50, E60, E61 and E70), Nokia 5500, and Nokia 3250 handsets currently available in mainland China and on Nokia 6131 devices in China and other Asia-Pacific markets. Nokia Content Discoverer is expected to be in the hands of over 20 million consumers worldwide by the end of 2006.

  • Nominations announced for Intl Emmies

    Nominations announced for Intl Emmies

    MUMBAI: Nominations for the 34th International
    Emmy Awards were announced by The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Iatas) at a press conference at the ongoing television trade event Mipcom in Cannes, France.

    There are 36 nominees in nine categories. Winners
    will be announced on 20 November, 2006 at the Hilton New York Hotel. The 2006 nominations span over nine countries with a record of five nominations for Brazil and Germany.
    China, France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are nominated for the Best Performance by An Actor and Best Performance by An Actress categories. There were three rounds of judging over a period of six months, with participation
    from over 500 judges in 35 countries.
    Iatas president Bruce Paisner says, “We are proud of the diversity and the geographic range of our nominees. They come from nine different countries, with multiple nominees from Asia, Europe and
    South America. Once again the ‘best’ will set a new high standard of excellence for the worldwide television community.”

    In addition to the presentation of the International Emmy Awards for programming, the Academy will present two special awards. The International
    Emmy Founders Award will be presented to Steven Spielberg for his career in television. The International Emmy Directorate Award will be presented to CME and Ronald S. Lauder for pioneering the development of independent television broadcasting in Central and Eastern Europe.

    TThe Academy also announced the nominees for the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) Award co-presented yearly with UNICEF. ICDB was launched in 1994 to encourage broadcasters worldwide to create awareness for
    children’s issues. The six nominees are from: Bangladesh, Colombia, Gambia, Moldova, Spain and Syria.
    This year’s sponsors are Phoenix TV, Sun Media Investment, Accenture, Microsoft, NBC Universal, Ascent Media, Savvis, Reed Midem, Sofitel Hotels and Variety. The 2006 semi-Final judging hosts include Indiantelevision.com, Al Jazeera Channel; Antenna TV, Berliner Film Companie and South
    Pacific Pictures.

    The 2006 International EmmyAwards Nominees are

    Arts Programming

    1. I Am Dali: Secrets of a Genius
    NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
    Japan
    2. John Peel’s Record Box
    Initial
    United Kingdom
    3. Knowledge is the Beginning
    A production of EuroArts Music international in
    co-production with ZDF/ARTE
    Germany
    4. Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
    BBC Bristol
    United Kingdom

    Best Performance By An Actress
    1. Lucy Cohu – The Queen’s Sister
    A Touchpaper Production for Channel 4
    United Kingdom
    2. Maryam Hassouni – Offers
    VARA Broadcasting Organisation
    The Netherlands
    3. Heike Makatsch – Against All Odds (Margarete Steiff)
    A co-production of Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
    /Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)/Bayerischer
    Rundfunk (BR)/ARTE/RAI Bozen/Film-Line
    Productions/Epo-Film Production/Mediafonds 2
    GmbH & Co.KG/World Sales Beta Film GmbH
    Germany
    4. Imelda Staunton – My Family and Other Animals
    BBC Drama & WGBH
    United Kingdom

    Best Performance By An Actor
    1. Bernard Farcy – De Gaulle
    GMT Productions with the participation of France
    2, Arte France with the support of Région Ilede-
    France, with the participation of Centre
    National de la Cinématographie, INA – Institut
    National de l’Audiovisuel
    France
    2. Bernard Hill – A Very Social Secretary
    A Mentorn Production for Channel 4
    United Kingdom
    3. Shen Lin – Feng Qi’s Confession
    Beijing Rosat Film & TV Production Co. Ltd./CTV
    – China Television Media Ltd.
    PR China
    4. Ray Winstone – Vincent
    Granada Drama and Comedy
    United Kingdom

    Children and Young People

    1. Boys Will Be Boys
    Monster Film for NRK
    Norway
    2. Elias – The Little Rescue Boat
    Filmkameratene AS
    Norway
    3. Johnny and the Bomb
    Childsplay Television
    United Kingdom
    4. Sugar Rush
    A Shine Production for Channel 4
    United Kingdom

    Comedy 
    1. Little Britain
    BBC Comedy
    United Kingdom
    2. Paare
    Sony Pictures Film und Fernseh Produktions
    GmbH
    Germany
    3. The Amateurs
    Globo TV
    Brazil
    4. The I.T. Crowd
    A Talkback Thames Production for Channel 4
    United Kingdom

    Drama Series
    1. Life on Mars
    Kudos Film & TV Ltd.
    United Kingdom
    2. Little Missy
    Globo TV
    Brazil
    3. Mandrake
    Conspiração Filmes Entretenimento/HBO Ole
    Originals
    Brazil
    4. Vincent
    Granada Drama and Comedy
    United Kingdom

    Documentary
    1. 9/11 The Falling Man
    A Darlow Smithson Production
    United Kingdom
    2. Hiroshima
    A BBC/TFI/ZDF/Discovery Channel coproduction
    in association with the Tokyo
    Broadcasting System Inc. with thanks to the
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
    United Kingdom
    3. How Putin Came To Power
    Wilton Films/Quark Productions/ARTE France
    France
    4. The Search for Happiness
    Filmquadrat GmbH/ Westdeutscher Rundfunk
    Germany

    Non-Scripted Entertainment
    1. Big Brother Brazil 6
    TV Globo/Endemol
    Brazil
    2. Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares
    An Optomen Television Production for Channel 4
    United Kingdom
    3. Supernanny 
    Ricochet
    United Kingdom
    4. The Strict School of the Fifties
    ZDF German Television
    Germany

    TV Movie /Mini-Series

    1. Filhos do Carnaval
    HBO Ole Originals/O2 Filmes
    Brazil
    2. Nuit Noire, October 17, 1961
    Cipango
    France
    3. The Crown Princess
    Produced by AB Svensk Filmindustri in coproduction
    with Sveriges Television – SVT Fiktion
    for SVT, in co-operation with YLE, TV2 AS and
    DR-TV, with support by Nordisk Film & TV Fond
    and the Media Plus Programme of the European
    Community
    Sweden
    4. The Virgin Queen
    A BBC/Power Co-Production
    United Kingdom

  • Nick US’ broadband platform TurboNick 2.0 gets 19 million content streams

    Nick US’ broadband platform TurboNick 2.0 gets 19 million content streams

    MUMBAI: US kids channel Nickelodeon has launched an enhanced version of TurboNick its broadband video platform. It has called it TurboNick 2.0.

    It has continuous video streaming, customised play lists, content in multiple languages, the ability to search the broad Nickelodeon content library.

    Since its initial soft launch (20 September to 1 October), TurboNick 2.0 has generated close to 19 million content streams, an increase of 911 per cent versus last year’s equivalent time period, which is almost 10 times the amount of streams for the same time period in 2005.

    TurboNick 2.0 is averaging 236,000 daily unique visitors, a 489 per cent increase over last year. TurboNick is one of several multiplatform experiences that allow kids to access Nickelodeon content, joining its Video on Demand offerings on cable, podcasts, Nick Arcade, and video clips through wireless providers, among others. In third quarter 2006, Nickelodeon television took the lead across all kid and tween demos, and achieved record Video on Demand numbers.

    With turbonick kids now have the opportunity to control their individual entertainment experiences and become ‘programmers’ with mash-up applications, the ability to rate videos, or interactive games. Featuring Flash video technology, TurboNick 2.0 now allows PC and Mac users to access hundreds of Nick long and short form programming videos online, including select new episodes immediately after they air on the network.

    Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group executive VP digital media Stephen Youngwood says, “In keeping with our philosophy of putting kids first in everything we do, we are thrilled to provide these unparalleled features on TurboNick 2.0 that will empower kids to take charge of their internet experience. TurboNick 2.0 not only provides a hub for our vast library of content, but allows kids to become ‘programmers’ and ‘creators’ in their own right.”

    TurboNick premiered as the first broadband player for kids in July 2005 to compliment Nickelodeon’s on-air programming, and initially featured 20 hours of new programming every week organized by channels. TurboNick 2.0 is organised by content channels as well as by property icons. Users are able to search from a library of hundreds of long and short form videos of Nickelodeon favorites. And the video streaming on TurboNick 2.0 never stops, even as users watch, browse, interact with and personalize their experience.

    TurboNick 2.0 is also scheduled to rollout in international territories including Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in late 2006/early 2007.

    Nickelodeon Television executive VP. GM Tom Ascheim says, “With access to a vast library of great Nickelodeon content and unprecedented user flexibility, TurboNick 2.0 is keeping our audience connected with our programming like never before.

    “The applications we are creating for kids on the internet are distinct and age appropriate. Whether it’s creating their favorite Avatar and Mr. Meaty play lists, or mashing up SpongeBob clips to share with their friends, kids rule on TurboNick 2.0. We also plan to use kids’ feedback and user generated content to inform what takes place on our air.”

    TurboNick 2.0 also provides appointment viewing for users with special content features like the Teenick Extra Scoop. This programming block offers extras or behind-the-scenes content, sneak peeks at next week’s new Teenick episodes, new games and more, in addition to the latest TEENick episodes immediately after they debut on-air.

    The TurboNick 2.0 features:

    Play lists – This a new option that allows users to drag and drop videos to create play lists, trade play lists with friends and send videos through links via email. With “My TurboNick,” users can save their play lists or other’s favorite play lists or videos.

    Nick Mash-ups – Users create their own mini-movies using clips, stills and audio from videos within TurboNick 2.0, using provided graphics and transitions. These mash-ups can be displayed on TurboNick 2.0 or emailed to friends, or displayed on users’ personalized internet pages. Some content might even be chosen to air on Nickelodeon.

    User ratings – Users are able rate videos and the top rated videos become a category on TurboNick 2.0. Select videos will be highlighted editorially on the site.

    Search function – allows users to search for their favorite videos from hundreds of videos from the Nick library by character or show.

    Games in TurboNick – TurboNick 2.0 offers trivia, quizzes, sliders, memory games and other basic level casual gaming to play while the video player streams content. It will soon feature interactive video-related gaming, which will correlate directly with the property you are viewing.

    New languages – Content is now available in Spanish, German, and French, and will soon roll out in Italian and other languages in the coming months.

    Skinnable designs – the player will, in the future, be customisable with themes and colour.

  • Qualcomm, BSkyB to conduct MediaFLO Technology trial in UK

    Qualcomm, BSkyB to conduct MediaFLO Technology trial in UK

    MUMBAI: Qualcomm Incorporated and British Sky Broadcasting Limited (BSkyB) today announced that the companies have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to conduct technical trials of Qualcomm’s MediaFLO technology in the United Kingdom.

    Expected to begin during the summer of 2006, the technical trial will feature 10 channels of BSkyB content on a small number of non-commercial devices provided by Qualcomm. The technical trial is intended to allow BSkyB to closely evaluate the performance capabilities of FLO technology, an open, cellular network-agnostic wireless multicasting technology, as it continues to explore the growing number of opportunities to deliver video services to mobile devices in the UK.

    FLO technology, a multicast innovation and key component of the MediaFLO system, is an air-interface technology designed to increase capacity and coverage, and reduce cost for multimedia content delivery to mobile handsets.

    The BSkyB technical trial is expected to be the first such trial of FLO technology in Europe. In addition to this technical trial, Qualcomm and KDDI have formed a joint venture to explore the deployment of MediaFLO services in Japan. Also, MediaFLO USA, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, is working with Verizon Wireless to deploy wireless multimedia services based on FLO technology in the US.

    “BSkyB is committed to offering customers flexible ways to enjoy our services. We have led the way in the delivery of mobile TV over existing platforms and we look forward to working with Qualcomm in this technical trial to evaluate the potential of MediaFLO,” said BSkyB group director of business development Stephen Nuttall.

    “As one of Europe’s largest, most successful and best-known multichannel television platform operators, BSkyB is the ideal company to team up with Qualcomm on our first MediaFLO trial in Europe. We expect this trial to demonstrate a strong validation of the value Qualcomm believes FLO technology offers both in Europe and other markets around the world. The openness of the MediaFLO system, as well as its significant advantages with respect to coverage, power consumption and cost, set MediaFLO apart from other competing technologies,” said Qualcomm Internet Service and MediaFLO Technologies president Peggy Johnson.

    Engineered specifically for the mobile environment, FLO technology is intended to offer several advantages over other mobile multicast technologies, including higher-quality video and audio, faster channel switching time, superior mobile reception, optimised power consumption and greater capacity concurrently as compared to other multicast technologies.

    In addition, FLO technology-based multimedia multicasting will complement wireless operators’ CDMA2000(R)/EV-DO and WCDMA/HSDPA cellular voice and data services, delivering content to the same cellular handsets used on these 3G networks.

  • ARY rolls out QTV and Musik on EchoStar’s Dish Network

    ARY rolls out QTV and Musik on EchoStar’s Dish Network

    MUMBAI: Pakistan’s ARY Digital Network has launched two more channels in the United States and North America .

    After the success of its flagship general entertainment channel, ARY Digital and its 24 hour news and current affairs channel ARY One World, the network now rolls out QTV – the 24 hour Islamic channel and a music channel Musik.

    Both these channels became available on the EchoStar’s Dish Network platform from 20 April.

    “One of our basic objectives is to help our music, entertainment, language, and basically our culture find a voice and reach the world over,” says ARY Digital Network president and CEO Salman Iqbal.

    “Our channels are trying to bridge the geographical divide that exists for that huge population of people that have migrated from their homelands.”

    The Network continues to expand its reach and distribution – with launch of Musik in the United Kingdom on 2 May 2006, adding to the existing ARY Digital, ARY One World and QTV packages.

    In June 2006, ARY Digital Network will also be launching ARY Digital, ARY One World and QTV in New Zealand and Australia.

    “We are proud to say that we are the largest South Asian Television network in the world with the most channels being distributed internationally, ” stated Iqbal. “It’s important for a network to be able to provide options to suit the taste buds of a wide cross section of viewers, be it in any region.”

    The Islamic channel QTV is also visible in India.