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Tag: WWF

  • Discovery and Samsung join forces for tiger conservation

    Discovery and Samsung join forces for tiger conservation

    Mumbai: Discovery Inc in partnership with Samsung is raising awareness among global audiences for the need to protect and conserve tigers in the wild through a content partnership around Discovery’s Project CAT (Conserving Acres for Tigers). 

     

    The collaboration entails the production of a short film “Eye to Eye with the Tiger,” which follows wildlife photographer Yashas Narayan as he journeys through India on a mission to track, and film and photograph a tiger in the wild with Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. “The jungle is full of symbiotic relationships. It’s remarkable to see how animals depend on each other. I am delighted to have captured some raw moments that emphasise how important tigers are in the circle of life,” said Narayan.

    Directed by BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker Vikram Singh, “Eye to Eye with the Tiger” shines a light on the dangers this majestic animal faces in the wild. Guided by a local conservationist Narayan searches for tiger tracks and takes note of signs from prey species while taking video footage and still images simultaneously with the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. The film reaches its climax when he comes face to face with a tiger hunting prey, a shot that brings to life the mission of Project CAT.

    “Discovery is a purpose-driven company with a strong commitment to conservation and protecting wildlife. Tigers are among the most revered species on the planet and today we extend our mission to ensure a future for tigers so there will always be stories to tell through this first of its kind partnership with Samsung and Project CAT,” said Discovery global vice president – standards and social good Jessica Beatus.

    Discovery supports nearly six million acres of tiger habitat across India, Bhutan and Russia through its Project CAT. Launched in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the initiative aims to help protect and support the conservation of a transboundary tiger landscape that is a global priority for tiger conservation. This key area also supports local economies, alternative livelihoods, and climate justice for the most marginalised. Discovery joined the ambitious goal of conservation groups to double the wild tiger population by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac, said the statement.

    “Through our collaboration, we look forward to both showcasing the beauty of one of the world’s most majestic animals with our super high-resolution camera whilst simultaneously raising awareness around the importance of the conservation of tigers in the years to come,” stated Samsung Electronics VP and head of global digital marketing group & mobile communications business Jung Suh.

  • P&G pledges to go carbon-neutral by end of decade

    P&G pledges to go carbon-neutral by end of decade

    NEW DELHI: Announcing a series of interventions that protect, improve, and restore nature, P&G has committed to going carbon-neutral by the end of this decade, it shared in a press statement. The company will need to balance ~30 million metric tons of carbon from 2020 to 2030. 

    “Recognising the next decade represents a critical window for the world to accelerate progress on climate change, P&G will go beyond its existing Science Based Target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by additionally advancing a portfolio of natural climate solutions. These efforts will deliver a carbon benefit that balances any remaining emissions over the next 10 years, allowing P&G operations to be carbon neutral for the decade,” read the release. 

    P&G chief sustainability officer Virginie Helias said, “Our role as leaders is to make a lower-emission economy and lifestyle possible, affordable and desirable for everyone. It is our responsibility to protect critical carbon reserves and invest in solutions that regenerate our planet. Consumers also want to do more to address climate change. As a company, we touch five billion people with our brands; we are striving to make a difference every day by encouraging responsible consumption with products that are effective and intuitive to enable adoption of new lower emission habits.”

    Its brands have been active in marketing their products in a way that engages consumers to involve in healthy environment-friendly habits. As per the global giant,  more than 60 per cent of a laundry detergent’s footprint is in the consumer use phase due to the energy used to heat the water. Its brands, Ariel and Tide,  have adopted brand messaging encouraging users to "turn to 30" and "cold water wash" their clothes, reducing roughly 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide since 2015 as a result.

    Likewise, dishwasher detergent brands Cascade and Fairy are encouraging consumers to skip pre-washing in order to reduce water usage and cut up to half of the total carbon footprint of every wash cycle.

    Helias noted, "As a company, we touch five billion people with our brands; we are striving to make a difference every day by encouraging responsible consumption with products that are effective and intuitive to enable adoption of new lower-emission habits."  

    P&G has also partnered with  Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to identify and fund a range of projects to achieve the goal. The already identified a slew of international projects including Atlantic Forest Restoration Planning with WWF and Evergreen Alliance with Arbor Day Foundation. 

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  • Canara HSBC OBC & WWF raise ‘Earth Hour’ awareness

    MUMBAI: WWF-India, in association with Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance hosted Pedal for the Planet 2017, a Cyclothon and Walkathon to celebrate the world’s largest grassroots environmental campaign – Earth Hour 2017.

    Earth Hour 2017 celebrates a decade of climate action with people from more than 7000 cities across the globe set to take a stand against climate change by celebrating Earth Hour 2017. In the last ten years, Earth Hour has gone from being a token switch-off event to becoming the largest voluntary movement ever witnessed in history. As the planet continues to witness climate records being broken and the need for greater ambition and commitment accelerates, Earth Hour is mobilizing individuals, communities and organizations globally to do their part to help change climate change.

    The exhilarating 21 kilometer cyclothon, covered over two rounds and the 3.5km walkathon. The residents of Delhi NCR enthusiastically participated to promote the cause of Earth Hour and ask people to switch off their lights during the hour later that night. Pedal for the Planet is a WWF-India initiative that aims to raise awareness about Earth Hour and promote a healthier, greener and more sustainable lifestyle at an individual level. Every year, since 2009, hundreds of citizens of Delhi NCR have been gathering in an enormous show of support for Earth Hour at the Pedal for the Planet Cyclothon and Walkathon. In the past decade, as global efforts to control climate change gained momentum, Earth Hour has helped bridge the gap between the grassroots and the corridors of power, taking climate action from conference rooms to living rooms in over 172 countries.

    Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance CEO Anuj Mathur said, “It is heartening to see the increasing awareness around the world on the need to preserve the environment and within our organization we are taking all steps to contribute to this cause.”

    WWF-India secretary-general & CEO Ravi Singh said, “Earth Hour is our attempt to inspire and empower individuals and help them fight against the complex issue of climate change. The enormous enthusiasm and support that we’ve witnessed for Earth Hour at the Pedal for the Planet Cyclothon is very humbling, it is great to see people coming together and committing to fight for a common cause that threatens the world as we know it.”

  • Baidu India launches a social campaign ‘The Last Conversation’

    Baidu India launches a social campaign ‘The Last Conversation’

    MUMBAI: On World Environment Day (WED) 2016, Baidu’s India office will launch a new social campaign named “The Last Conversation” to raise awareness of wildlife depletion. The campaign will feature Baidu’s mascot, the “DU bear”, having a final conversation with different endangered animals through a series of posts on Facebook and Twitter, with the goal of urging people to avoid products that cause harm to wildlife.

    According to a 2014 report issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India is home to 6.5 percent of the world’s total wildlife species, which includes 7.6 percent of all mammals and 12.6 percent of all bird species. Out of these, 15 species of birds, 12 species of mammals, and 18 species of reptiles and amphibians in India are recognized as critically endangered.

    Baidu India will hold its campaign on Twitter and Facebook from June 1st to June 5th, 2016, with the hash tag #TheLastConversation. The animals featured in the conversations will speak their last words to the DU bear before they are turned into consumer products, in a strong message of the harmful impact of our purchases on wildlife.

    Baidu has previously advocated other environmental causes in India and worldwide. Since 2014, Baidu’s Android apps DU Battery Saver and DU Speed Booster have partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on a yearly basis to raise awareness of Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement organized by WWF.

    WED is a yearly awareness campaign run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The theme of WED 2016 is illegal trade in wildlife, with the slogan ‘Go Wild for Life’.

  • Baidu India launches a social campaign ‘The Last Conversation’

    Baidu India launches a social campaign ‘The Last Conversation’

    MUMBAI: On World Environment Day (WED) 2016, Baidu’s India office will launch a new social campaign named “The Last Conversation” to raise awareness of wildlife depletion. The campaign will feature Baidu’s mascot, the “DU bear”, having a final conversation with different endangered animals through a series of posts on Facebook and Twitter, with the goal of urging people to avoid products that cause harm to wildlife.

    According to a 2014 report issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India is home to 6.5 percent of the world’s total wildlife species, which includes 7.6 percent of all mammals and 12.6 percent of all bird species. Out of these, 15 species of birds, 12 species of mammals, and 18 species of reptiles and amphibians in India are recognized as critically endangered.

    Baidu India will hold its campaign on Twitter and Facebook from June 1st to June 5th, 2016, with the hash tag #TheLastConversation. The animals featured in the conversations will speak their last words to the DU bear before they are turned into consumer products, in a strong message of the harmful impact of our purchases on wildlife.

    Baidu has previously advocated other environmental causes in India and worldwide. Since 2014, Baidu’s Android apps DU Battery Saver and DU Speed Booster have partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on a yearly basis to raise awareness of Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement organized by WWF.

    WED is a yearly awareness campaign run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The theme of WED 2016 is illegal trade in wildlife, with the slogan ‘Go Wild for Life’.

  • Netflix, Silverback Films’ ‘Planet Earth’ sequel to release in 2019

    Netflix, Silverback Films’ ‘Planet Earth’ sequel to release in 2019

    MUMBAI: Come 2019 and Netflix in collaboration with Silverback Films and WWF will premiere across all its territories – Our Planet, a new eight part natural history series made by the creators of the critically and popularly acclaimed series Planet Earth.

     

    The ambitious four year project — the largest of its kind ever attempted — will take viewers into never-before-filmed wilderness areas from the ice caps and deep ocean to deserts and remote forests, introducing them to the most precious species and places that must withstand the impact of humanity so generations to come can enjoy the bounties of the natural world. Using the latest in 4K camera technology, the series and a range of specially produced storytelling for multi-media platforms will bring millions of people into intimate contact with some of the world’s rarest animals and most precious natural habitats.

     

    The series is being produced by Silverback Films, led by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, who created Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and Blue Planet for the BBC, as well as the Disneynature films Earth, Bears, African Cats and Chimpanzee.

     

    WWF, the world’s leading conservation organization with operations in more than 100 countries and over five million members, is providing the Silverback team unparalleled access to its projects in protected areas around the world and will collaborate on multi-media storytelling across its web and other platforms.

     

    “Netflix is proud to be the global home for perhaps Silverback’s most ambitious project to date. The Planet projects have enjoyed great success on Netflix and have helped launch new technologies for viewing at home. We think watching Our Planet, fully on demand in 4K will be an unforgettable experience for our members,” said Netflix Original Documentaries vice president Lisa Nishimura.

     

    “Our Planet is going to raise the bar for natural history landmarks. We will reveal the most amazing sights on Earth and show them in ways they have never been seen before. Partnering with Netflix and WWF gives us the ability to reach and enthuse global audiences with the wonder and importance of the natural world,” added Silverback Films executive producer Alastair Fothergill.

     

    “Our Planet will inspire millions of people around the world by showcasing the planet’s most precious species and most fragile habitats through a visionary series and cutting edge multimedia storytelling. At this critical time for global conservation we are honored to work with Silverback and Netflix on this completely unique collaboration,” said WWF executive producer Colin Butfield.

  • Discovery kids in association with WWF-INDIA organises Wild Wisdom Quiz 2014

    Discovery kids in association with WWF-INDIA organises Wild Wisdom Quiz 2014

    NEW DELHI: Discovery Kids partnered with WWF–India to host this years’ Wild Wisdom Quiz, Asia’s largest wildlife quiz for children.  An annual event by WWF-India, the quiz aims to increase environmental awareness in India through various themes associated with conservation. The quiz is supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and powered by Perfetti-Mentos and Canon Pixma.

     

    Discovery Kids & WWF-India’s Wild Wisdom Quiz 2014 was conducted across 30 cities in India. Over 12,000 students from 425 schools participated in the quiz.   Each city level winning team (30 teams) will now compete in the National Finale to be held at the WWF Auditorium, New Delhi on 1 October during Wildlife Week.   The top 3 teams will win a trip to Adventure Nation’s Camp Tusker near Rajaji National Park, in the Shivalik Hills. The finale will be broadcast on Discovery Kids, the most distinguished television brand offering learning based entertainment.

     

    Announcing the association, Rahul Johri, Executive Vice-President and General Manager – South Asia and Head of Revenue, Pan-Regional Ad Sales and Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “Discovery Kids stimulates learning and imagination of children through its programmes and its on-ground initiatives such as Wild Wisdom Quiz 2014.  The nationwide quiz aims to create a strong connect amongst students towards nature and wildlife.Such initiatives help children in understanding the fragility of our natural environment and the importance of its protection.” 

     

    Ravi Singh, CEO, WWF-India said, “WWF-India is pleased to partner with Discovery Kids to host Wild Wisdom 2014. The quiz is one of its kind in the realm of wildlife and conservation and has in the last six years built a large constituency of children who are now more connected to the natural world. The quiz goes beyond being just a competition and stokes children’s sense of wonder towards nature. The overwhelming response from schools, teachers and children alike, over the last few years has made the Wild Wisdom Quiz a success and we believe that we will be able to take this quiz to an increasing number of schools and children every year, helping create future conservationists who will take the mission forward.”

     

    Discovery Kids & WWF-India’s Wild Wisdom Quiz focused on ‘Forest Biodiversity’ as the theme for 2014.  The quiz reached out to more than 15,000 schools and invited participation from children at various levels – Middle School level (Classes 6-8); Junior School quiz (Classes 3-5) and online version for High School students (Classes 9-12).  

  • Ogilvy wins Digital & Interactive Grand Prix

    Ogilvy wins Digital & Interactive Grand Prix

    VARCA, GOA: Ogilvy India has scooped up the Grand Prix for the Creative Abby Awards in the Digital & Interactive category. The agency won it in the Online Integrated campaign sub-category for their ‘Photographs Case‘ creation for Fox Crime.

    Ogilvy bagged 7 Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze metals. The agency won Gold for their work for Fox Crime, Mentos Sour Marbles and ITC Maurya New Delhi in different categories. It also picked up Silvers for Asthma Society of India, Mentos Sour Marbles, Vodafone, WWF, Future Genrali Smart Life Insurance and Bronze for Euroair, Optic gallery and Pond’s Age Miracle.

    There are 12 categories in the Creative Abbys this year, which include ambient, direct, design, film, film craft, integrated, digital and mobile, OOH, print, print craft, radio and radio craft. Out of the 12 categories, awards in three categories- Design, Direct and Digital and Interactive were presented today.

    Agency
    Grand Prix
    Gold
    Silver
    Bronze
    Total
    Ogilvy India 1 7 5 3 16
    DDB Mudra Group   1 3 4 8
    Leo Burnett   1 2 3 6
    Jack In The Box Worldwide   1 1   2
    Sapient Nitro India   1 1   2
    Taproot India     4 3 7
    Grey India     3 6 9
    Maxus India     3 4 7
    Creativeland Asia     3   3
    BBDO India     2 4 6
    Alok Nanda and Company     2 3 5
    Grant McCann Erickson     2   2
    Out Of The Box     1 2 3
    Webchutney     1 1 2
    Interface Business Solutions     1 1 2
    JWT India     1 1 2
    The Flagship Advertising     1 1 2
    M&C Saatchi     1 1 2
    Indigo Consultin     1   1
    Contract Advertising India     1   1
    AgencyDigi Communications       3 3
    Happy       2 2
    BC Web Wise       1 1
    Wunderman International       1 1
    Digitas India       1 1
    Eleven Brandworks       1 1
    Publicis Communications       1 1
    Group M – Dialogue Factory       1 1
    XOX Design (A Division of The Flagship Advertising)       1 1
    Beehive Communication       1 1
    Total 1 11 39 50 101

    DDB Mudra Group won one Gold metal for Steadfast Shredders, three Silvers for Star Movies, Sanctuary, Lass Natural Cosmetics and four Bronze for Coffee Gold, Sanctuary Asia and Emirates.

    Leo Burnet took home 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze metals.

    The Creative Abbys received 4250 entries compared to 3500 entries last year. A total of 175 agencies participated, eight of whom were from other countries.

    Click here to open creative abby Awards‘ list.

  • ‘Our top three international markets are the UK, Australia and India’ : Dixie Carter – TNA Entertainment president

    ‘Our top three international markets are the UK, Australia and India’ : Dixie Carter – TNA Entertainment president

    In 2002, TNA Entertainment found a gap in the marketplace to compete with WWE. TNA Wrestling was born and is now seen in 120 countries globally.

    TNA has carved out a separate positioning for itself. While WWE is entertainment, TNA is professional wrestling.

    Spending the first five years of its existence on establishing the brand in the US, the focus has been to expand TNA‘s global reach. And India is TNA‘s one of the top three markets outside the US.

    In order to complement its roster of events, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) signed a deal with TNA Wrestling a few years back to broadcast their programming. The sports broadcaster renewed its deal for TNA content last year.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, TNA Entertainment president Dixie Carter elaborates on the company‘s plans to up its game in India.

    Excerpts:

    When TNA Wrestling started out in 2002, what were the key goals?
    In the late 1990s, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF) combined for approximate gross revenues of $800-$900 million per year. By the time TNA started in 2002, WWF had the only major international professional wrestling company in the world.

    So there was not only room, but a need for competition in the marketplace. Thus, our goal was to establish TNA as a premiere professional wrestling company worldwide.

    To what extent have these goals been accomplished?
    TNA just celebrated its seventh anniversary and we are now seen in more than 120 countries globally. For the last four years, we have had a tremendous relationship with our US cable TV partner Spike TV and we just signed a new three-year deal with them.

    During the second quarter of this year, more than 1.8 million viewers on an average tuned in to TNA: iMPACT! on Spike TV each week. Overall, TNA: iMPACT! saw a 31 per cent overall growth with double digit increases in the key demographics of M18-49 (+33 per cent) and P18-49 (+40 per cent). TNA now routinely exceeds those ratings of WWE‘s ECW brand and we are closing the gap with their Smackdown brand.

    Additionally, we have grown our international business exponentially in the last two years. By developing relationships with broadcasters in the UK, Australia and with ESPN Star Sports (ESS), TNA has become a global entity.

    We have also assembled a talent roster that can compete with any promotion out there. As far as challenges are concerned, I think that adequate capitalisation is the biggest challenge for any start up. We have had to be smart with our resources and prioritise them. The other main challenge was to convince people that we were going to be around for the long-term, and I think we‘ve done that.

    At the time of launch on one hand you had the success of the WWE. On the other hand, you had the failure of Turner‘s WCW. What were the learnings from this?
    We learned that the fan base will support two professional wrestling companies. Obviously, it is a sobering lesson when a company that generated the revenue and had the success that WCW had, could and would go out of business just a couple of years later. You have to learn from those mistakes made.

    How is TNA positioned vis-a-vis the WWE?
    A couple of years ago, I read a transcript of a Vince McMahon (WWE chairman) interview where he said that WWE is entertainment and TNA is professional wrestling, and I couldn‘t agree more. We want to emphasise our athletes and their athletic ability, and we don‘t run from what we are.

    Could you talk about the strategy TNA is following to grow its reach globally?
    TNA spent the first five years of its existence focussing on establishing the brand in the US. Once we felt that that we were on firm footing, we began to expand our reach. I think that the United Kingdom is a good case study for what we are trying to accomplish globally.

    First, we established a successful relationship with a top TV partner, and then built the brand through promotional appearances and then eventually live events and consumer products.
    ‘TNA needs to provide ESS with more content such as TNA Epics and regularly scheduled promotional appearances with TNA superstars in India‘

    How much of a challenge is it to grow fan loyalty for the brand given the competition from the WWE and an increasingly fragmented media environment?
    In four years, we have doubled our average audience on Spike TV in the US and are beating our competitors programming in key countries worldwide. By that alone, we are the fastest growing wrestling company in the world.

    WWE is the gold standard in the professional wrestling business, but a lot of people have stopped watching wrestling. And as the upstart company, we have the opportunity to offer something different.

    In how many homes is TNA seen globally and what new television deals were signed recently?
    TNA is seen in over 120 countries around the world with many millions of viewers tuning in each week. We recently signed new deals with Foxtel in Australia, Canal 9 in Denmark and W9 in France.

    Where does India fit in the scheme of things for TNA?
    India offers a tremendous opportunity for TNA. From a consumer index standpoint, if India continues its recent financial growth it will become the fifth largest consumer economy by 2025 and we want to be a part of that.

    Aside from television licensing revenues, we have to activate our strategy for live events and other commercial opportunities.

    What are the different shows that TNA offers and has this been increased over the past year?
    TNA‘s flagship show is the weekly two hour series TNA iMPACT! In addition, we produce 12 monthly three hour pay-per-views per year. TNA Xplosion is a one-hour edited version of iMPACT! airing outside the United States with some exclusive content added. We also recently launched a one-hour show in a ‘best of‘ format called TNA Epics. This show highlights the best matches, moments and superstars in TNA history.

    In the ratings sweepstakes TNA is behind the WWE in India. What is the game plan to close this gap?
    TNA needs to provide ESS with more content such as TNA Epics and regularly scheduled promotional appearances with TNA superstars in India. We currently are on a one week delay in terms of the content broadcasted in India versus the United States.

    We hope to close that gap and have our programmes airing within the same week. And obviously, planning live events in India is a major piece of our strategy.

    We are planning a promotional tour in India in conjunction with ESS. TNA superstars haven‘t visited since 2005, so we are long overdue to return. We are also creating customised station IDs and bumper breaks.

    In terms of revenues what growth do you see this year? How much of it comes from outside the US?
    We are looking for a 10 per cent growth this year. This year, approximately 15 per cent of our revenue will come from international markets. Our top three markets are the UK, Australia and India.

    Is new media playing a more important role in TNA‘s brand building strategy?
    TNA was an early adopter of YouTube, and subsequently we are now one of their most all-time viewed channels with close to 200 million views. We continue to strive to stay on the cutting edge of new media and social networking technologies such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and whatever forms of communication can best help TNA reach out to its fans.

    We also reward our die-hard fans with opportunities available exclusively online and not to the general public. For instance, if you follow TNA on Twitter, at live events we hide a backstage pass in the venue and then reveal its location exclusively on our Twitter account. The fan who finds it gets to go backstage during the show.

    What plans does TNA have in the licensing and merchandising space?
    We have learned to be patient and selective in choosing our licensing partners. Aligning with great companies is what will create successful licensing programmes, create great products for our fans and bring TNA the most revenue.

    Jakks Pacific is our new worldwide master toy licensee and we will launch our first action figures and play sets together starting in summer 2010. We are very excited about adding this to our licensing and merchandising mix. TNA has been out of the toy category for two years and our fans have been asking for these products. For this reason, we expect great success when we launch our toys next year.

    We released our first video game in September 2008 with Midway Games which to-date has sold close to 1.5 million units. We are currently evaluating our options for our next video game partner due to the Warner acquisition of Midway and expect to make an announcement soon.

    For our trading cards and sports memorabilia our partner is Tristar. In particular our trading cards have been a great success. We‘ve just launched our third series to retail this month.

    Internally, we create our own merchandise across several categories and sell it directly to our fans at live events and via shoptna.com. We specifically focus on designing and creating our own apparel. We also handle the creation of our replica belts, and specialty collectible merchandise like the Sting bats, Superstar programs and collectible TNA books.
    TNA has stars like Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarett who have wrestled for years in other organisations. Does this familiarity make it easier for fans to connect with the TNA brand?
    TNA tries to strike a balance between recognisable names from other companies and our own homegrown talent. We‘ve found that the combination of both seasoned veterans and the next great superstars of tomorrow elevates our entire brand.
     

    Have fans‘ attitudes towards sports entertainment changed over this decade as per research?
    There is an old saying — “for those who believe, no explanation is necessary; and for those who don‘t believe, no explanation is possible.” The mission for TNA in 2009 and beyond is to attract more people who believe that professional wrestling is a great form of entertainment, and that TNA is their preferred brand of professional wrestling.

    When WCW closed down, there was worry that wrestlers and fans would not have an alternative apart from the WWE. To what extent has TNA managed to emerge as a healthy option?
    After seven years we have emerged as the only healthy option for both talent and fans alike. Since TNA started, several people have tried and failed to develop an alternative or competition to WWE and TNA.

    One challenge is to cultivate new talent. What is TNA‘s strategy in this regard?
    Since we don‘t currently have a developmental territory, we have to keep a close eye on the best unsigned talent around the world.

    Recently, we signed Ayako Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

    Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

    When WCW closed down, there was worry that wrestlers and fans would not have an alternative apart from the WWE. To what extent has TNA managed to emerge as a healthy option?
    After seven years we have emerged as the only healthy option for both talent and fans alike. Since TNA started, several people have tried and failed to develop an alternative or competition to WWE and TNA.

    One challenge is to cultivate new talent. What is TNA‘s strategy in this regard?
    Since we don‘t currently have a developmental territory, we have to keep a close eye on the best unsigned talent around the world.

    Recently, we signed Ayako Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

  • Animal Planet Intl announces new programming initiatives

    Animal Planet Intl announces new programming initiatives

    MUMBAI: A search for the next great wildlife filmmaker, an eco-reality series with WWF and a three-part natural history documentary are among the new programming initiatives recently announced by Animal Planet International.

    One show is called Unearthed. It will follow six contestants on a training course as they learn the skills of natural history filmmaking from Lyndal Davies and Andrew Barron. It will be filmed at the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa this July and launches on Animal Planet throughout Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa early next year. Animal Planet International will also broadcast the winning documentary, to be judged by a panel of experts.

    Meanwhile Planet Action is being co-produced with WWF. It launches next month on Animal Planet in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The series follows an international team of amateur environmentalists as they are immersed in six different conservation projects. “Animal Planet entertains people by celebrating animals, and we can think of no better way to celebrate animals than by doing our part to help protect them,” said Gibson.

    The documentary Great Savannah Race follows 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra as they fight for survival over 500 miles of plains and grassland. The series was filmed over a period of 18 months, and rolls out on Animal Planet International this summer.