ITV

Tag: Zee MGM

  • HBO bags record 26 Golden Globe nominations

    HBO bags record 26 Golden Globe nominations

    LOS ANGELES: HBO has received 26 Golden Globe nominations, twice as many as any other television network this year, and the most in HBO history, for the upcoming 60th annual Golden Globe Awards. The Golden Globe Awards will be announced 19 January in Los Angeles. In India, they will air on one of the Star channels.

    HBO got four nominations for the Sopranos, which airs in India on Zee MGM. Sex and The City also nabbed four nominations; the channel is currently examining whether the show will suit Indian sensibilities before bringing it in. Its film The Gathering Storm with Vanessa Redgrave and Jim Broadbent has also received four citations.

    Mira Nair’s Hysterical Blindness received a couple of nominations including one for Uma Thurman.

  • Zee MGM, Zee English set for revamp

    Zee MGM, Zee English set for revamp

    MUMBAI: After a period of inactivity, Zee MGM and Zee English are pushing ahead in terms of a new look as well as innovative programme strategies.

    The channels’ vice president Ajay Trigunayat says a new look has been put in place for Zee MGM from 11 December. This sees the return of the roaring lion on the channel logo since that is what Indians associate the MGM brand with. The channel has also taken a decision to delve into the brand heritage of MGM and is therefore using the famous tagline Lions Share of Hollywood. 

    The decision to go in for a revamp was taken in mid-September and Zee asked MGM to do the needful, says Trigunayat. The Zee network then did its own upgrades using state of the art facilities. The channel now also has a new promo director in Shrett Garnett who has worked in Dubai and the UK for ten years, says Trigunayat.

    Elaborating on the strategy for Zee English, Trigunayat says, ” What we did for Zee English is to put all the graphic elements which were already available but which had not yet been used into place like new fonts. Every promo has a time and day, which is standardised across the channel. For Zee English, we are not going for a new look right now. We will wait for some time and then proceed. Effectively we are taking things in various stages and I call it the ‘afterburner’ approach.”

    Trigunayat says the broadcaster renogitiated the contract with MGM in August 2002 after which it started airing non MGM movies like the Oscar Winner Traffic..

    As far as positioning Zee MGM was concerned, he says, “During our research, viewers told us that when they watch an English movie channel, they look forward to unreleased and unknown movies in India. those that have not been seen in theatres or on the DVD, video circuits. This led us to the assumption that maybe we should be a channel which plays good movies at all times. We took the decision to not be a functional or a symbolic brand. We will be an experiential brand. You can watch a good movie at any time and there will be no appointment viewing required. “

    In terms of channel share, Trigunayat says that during the top of the line slot, which is Romantic Monday’s , Zee MGM’s share had gone up by thrice as much.

    Reagrding programming on Zee English Trigunayat says, ” We tinkered only slightly with the FPC. When Friends aired at 10:30 pm on weekends, channel share was 55 per cent between 9-12 pm. So we decided to put it back on weekdays at 10 pm. After the eighth season of Friends was over, we went back to the first episode from 11 November and channel shares have jumped back up to 47 per cent.”

    Trigunayat says Zee English plans to bring in four shows from next month, for which a fresh approach has been taken. Zee MGM will premiere Run Lola Run in end January. It will also air English movies with an Indian feel like David Lean’s A Passage to India on Tuesdays at 9 pm.

  • HBO.com to use ‘The Sopranos’ for charity auction

    NEW YORK: Innovative US network HBO is using the immense popularity of its crically acclaimed gangster series The Sopranos to raise funds for a worthy cause. HBO.com is giving fans a chance to own a part of the smash-hit drama series via an online auction. In India, the show airs on Zee MGM.

    From tomorrow at 3 pm EST, eight items from the first three seasons of the show will be put up for bidding, with net proceeds going to charity. The entire auction will run for 10 days.

    Wardrobes used on the show set as well as other memorabilia will provide devoted viewers with a unique opportunity to bid on a treasure trove of items.

    The items include the Tony Soprano signature-piece golf shirt worn by James Gandolfini and labelled “Tony” on the collar tag.

    Also up for bid are greatly sought after cast-autographed copies of: Pilot script, Season 3 Boardwalk poster and The Sopranos hockey jersey

    Every article will be authenticated by HBO as coming from the show and will go to the highest bidder on the last day of the auction. The auction is building on the success of HBO.com’s Sex and the City auctions of the past two years, which raised nearly $50,000 in total for charity.

  • Cinema Scope Channels have started using theatres as a vehicle to spread the message

    Cinema Scope Channels have started using theatres as a vehicle to spread the message

    It‘s sweet revenge time for cinema theatres across the country.

    For long at the receiving end of cable piracy that weaned away the avid movie buff from the 70 mm screen, theatres suddenly find themselves wooed ardently by several television channels that are attempting to attract what they feel is their ‘niche audience‘. This time round, though, it seems the channels are not trying to entice the viewer out of the cinema hall and into the living room.

    The effort, say executives of English language satellite channels like Hallmark, Star and Zee MGM is to reach out to the SEC A, B movie goer and make him aware of the delectable fare available on the channels. Outdoor, radio, print and Net – the media exhausted by the channels thus far have been unable to pin down the cream and the upper crust of society that niche channels like these are trying to woo.


    Channels hope to garner a wider audience with promos on the silver screen. 

    Hence, it is now the turn of the cinema theatre to air before and during the shows as well as in the foyers, advertisements for fare available for free in the home. Star Movies has been busy touting its blockbuster delights like the Oscar nominated The Sixth Sense which premiered last Friday. The channel also has plans up its sleeve to tie up with theatres for contests.

    Not to be left behind, arch rival HBO is aggressively pushing its blockbuster for the year Gladiator which aired last Tuesday and the Home to Rome contest associated with the Russell Crowe starrer through ads. With Ten Sports‘ entry into the broadcasting scene earlier this year, things have started hotting up in this sector. In a bid to ensure channel loyalty among the upmarket sophisticated urbane viewer, ESS has been pushing its Legends of Cricket special as well as shows its brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar hosts on the channel not only through innovative spots but also through in-theatre hoardings which patrons of a particular cinema will not fail to miss as soon as they enter.

    Hallmark, previously off the radar, has started to make major attempts at promoting its series, particularly those screened in the night. The channel in fact has been advertising in theatres since March this year. Screenings are taking place in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, mainly in cinemas screening English movies and Hindi movies which do well in metro cities (like Dil Chahta Hai). An estimated Rs 10 million have been set aside by the channel for the current year for promotions in theatres alone, a figure that most other channels too have earmarked for the newly discovered medium of cinema theatres.

    Another broadcaster which so far maintained a low profile on this front is all set to get cracking. Zee recently appointed Cutting Edge Media to handle ad sales for its two English channels Zee English and Zee MGM. Says Cutting Edge‘s Rohinton Maloo: “We will start advertising in theatres some time in November-December. Screenings will take place in large and small theatres mainly airing English movies or at hip and happening multiplexes in the top eight metros.” This initiative no doubt is in line with with Zee English‘s plans to acquire new properties before the year is through.

    Ten Sports, which early on took to theatres in May this year when it launched with a World Cup splash by airing select matches live in certain theatres in the country, seems to have thought better of it now. The channel has no current plans of airing its promos in theatres, says the channel.
     

  • Zee Movies to be rebranded as Zee-MGM Movie Channel

    Zee Movies to be rebranded as Zee-MGM Movie Channel

    In a bid to revitalise the sagging Zee Movies channel, Zee TV is relaunching it as Zee-MGM by mid October. No details were made available about the deal between MGM and Zee Telefilms for the partnership, excepting that it has been labeled as a joint venture.

    Zee Movies had launched in mid-March 2000 with a library consisting of a la carte movies and shows from MGM, Pearson, Diskovery, Passport, Pearson, Fremantle. But it failed to make a dent with the channel. Offering competing fare was HBO which had launched around that time with better movies and packaging.

    Indian viewers also failed to buy Zee TV’s foray into English language programming as it is primary perceived to be a provider of Hindi entertainment and information fare. The rebranding and association with MGM should go some way in removing some of the dissonance in the earlier branding exercise. Mainly because MGM is an international brand and has had a pretty good run in the local theatrical cricuit.

    But one will have to wait and watch whether viewers will get swayed away from the attractive fare that HBO is supposed to start beaming out over its south Asia channel with all the four studios agreeing to participate in the channel after close to three months of bickering.

    The MGM library mainly consists heavily of sixties and seventies products. It includes such legendary series as James Bond, Rocky, Pink Panther. Other titles include award winning and popular movies – Thelma & Louise, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Moonstruck, Silence of the Lambs, Rain Man, Fargo, Dances with the Wolves and a host of others. Zee-MGM will also showcase critically acclaimed MGM masterpieces from the Woody Allen series as well as its vast repertoire of timeless classics.

     

  • Star Movies claims clear lead over HBO

    Star Movies claims clear lead over HBO

    NEW DELHI: Which is the best of the lot? Star Movies, armed with TAM data, has claimed that it is dominating viewership (target group: C&S SEC AB 4+ homes, nine cities for Fri, Sat, Sun 1900-2400) for the weekend slot : in June, Star Movies had an audience share of 1.49, almost double of HBO (0.76), and far higher than the others like AXN (0.39), Zee MGM (0.24) and Hallmark (0.03) over the weekends.

     

    An official release states Star Movies beat HBO every week this year, across 15 markets. To buttress its argument the release makes the following points:

    • Star Movies, early this year, was the top performing channel in India with this year’s broadcast of the Oscars.

    • It holds the ratings record for the top three movies Titanic, Jurassic Park and Lost World ever to air in India (see ratings chart)

    • Watched by over 40 million people over the last three months.

    • The channel reaches 3 out of 4 upmarket men with cable across the last quarter (April to June).

    • The largest studio portfolio of any movie channel.

    • Exclusive access to the most successful movie franchises of all time – James Bond and Star Wars films

    • Exclusive rights to Live broadcast of the Oscars, and also some special events like World Heavyweight Championship Boxing (the Lewis Vs Tyson bout was shown on the channel).

    To read the full power point presentation made by Star Movies – click here

  • Star Movies claims clear lead over HBO

    Star Movies claims clear lead over HBO

    NEW DELHI: Which is the best of the lot? Star Movies, armed with TAM data, has claimed that it is dominating viewership (target group: C&S SEC AB 4+ homes, nine cities for Fri, Sat, Sun 1900-2400) for the weekend slot : in June, Star Movies had an audience share of 1.49, almost double of HBO (0.76), and far higher than the others like AXN (0.39), Zee MGM (0.24) and Hallmark (0.03) over the weekends. 

    An official release states Star Movies beat HBO every week this year, across 15 markets. To buttress its argument the release makes the following points:
    • Star Movies, early this year, was the top performing channel in India with this year’s broadcast of the Oscars. 

    • It holds the ratings record for the top three movies Titanic, Jurassic Park and Lost World ever to air in India (see ratings chart) 

    • Watched by over 40 million people over the last three months. 

    • The channel reaches 3 out of 4 upmarket men with cable across the last quarter (April to June). 

    • The largest studio portfolio of any movie channel.

    • Exclusive access to the most successful movie franchises of all time – James Bond and Star Wars films 

    • Exclusive rights to Live broadcast of the Oscars, and also some special events like World Heavyweight Championship Boxing (the Lewis Vs Tyson bout was shown on the channel). 

  • AXN claims giant share among English movie channels with ‘Commando’

    AXN claims giant share among English movie channels with ‘Commando’

    Action channel AXN India claims to have stolen a march over rival English movie channels last month in the ratings game.

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    The channel telecast Commando on 19 May at 9 pm – an Arnold Schwarzenneger flick about a child’s kidnapping and her subsequent release. Quoting TAM data for 19 May, AXN says the film helped the channel corner a market share of nearly 60 per cent in SEC A and B C&S homes in the five metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. Tracking the channel shares for the time period between 9 pm and 10.59 pm, AXN claims to be head and shoulders above rivals HBO, Star Movies, Zee MGM, along with Hallmark.

    Interestingly, HBO aired Batman and Robin at the same time when Commando was playing on AXN. While Commando has Schwarzenegger in a positive role, Batman and Robin has him in a villain’s role. AXN claims that Batman’s wings were clipped by Commando, with data which indicates that market share among English movie channels for the caped hero hovered around 20 per cent. Hallmark’s share for the same period was a meagre two to three per cent, while Star Movies fared slightly better with its film aired in the Sunday Best slot generating around 14 per cent share among females in the SEC AB 15-44 category.

     

  • Zee Board to approve JV distribution agreement with Turner on 13th

    Zee Board to approve JV distribution agreement with Turner on 13th

    Well it may not have a strategic partner as yet but something is certainly cooking at the Subhash Chandra promoted Zee Telefilms Ltd. The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange today that it will be holding a board meeting on 13 December to “consider, approve and authorise a joint venture agreement with Turner International India Ltd to market and distribute TV Channels of Zee & Turner and third parties.”

    A JV company makes eminent sense seeing as to how different the corporate culture of the two companies are. The “cultural clash” (for lack of a better phrase) would more likely be a recipe for a quick and messy divorce. A separate company handling operations will be far better equipped to get on with the job at hand.

    And the JV looks like providing some synergies which are tangible rather then speculative as is often the case with Zee. Firstly there is the strength to the Zee basket of channels that the Turner products immediately bring. With HBO, Cartoon Network and CNN added to Zee’s bouquet, the package that the advertiser is being offered will have a huge value add.

    On the movies front, HBO has a firm handle on blockbuster titles and contemporary movies while Zee MGM would provide the more offbeat and older but still well appreciated films. Cartoon Network wraps it up as far as kids are concerned. As for Zee News and CNN, a content sharing arrangement already exists so there should be no problems there.

    Now if Zee TV could just be set right.

  • To increase visibility Hallmark tries unconventionality

    To increase visibility Hallmark tries unconventionality

    Hallmark, which claims a viewership base of 8.2 million in India, is pushing hard to become the channel that the whole family can enjoy. Hallmark is different from the other English movie channels Star Movies, HBO and Zee MGM because a lot of programming is aimed at children. Besides Hallmark’s mini-series and movies are quite unique.

    It’s new show Star Trek Voyager will premier on 30 September at 8 p.m. The target audience is science fiction and action fans who like mystery, adventure and thrills and have no difficulty suspending their disbelief. In one of the episodes the Federation starship USS Voyager hunt down Maquis rebels, enters the dangerous space nebula known as the Badlands. Both ships are taken to the Delta Quadrant, which is 75,000 light-years from Federation space. Then at 9 p.m. you can enjoy the movie The Yearling about a 12-year-old boy who learns the meaning of life, shouldering responsibility through his relationship with an orphaned fawn.

    The channel will spend Rs 10 million to promote and advertise this show as well as Sliders in India. Sliders is being pushed through the print medium, billboards and hoardings. The hoardings are quite mischievously misleading. At Borivali there is one which claims that one has reached Worli. The ads are quite zany and eccentric whether it describes objects in an inaccurate manner ‘The pyramid is a square’, or misreporting an important news item of the past ‘Princess Diana survives car crash’. Sliders deals with four people who travel through the time dimension zigging and zagging so much that a time comes when they are not sure what is real anymore. Advertising major Leo Burnett’s campaign tempts viewers with a teaser “What is your reality?”

    As far as movies are concerned the channel this month has been showing successful adaptations of classic novels under the heading From Page to Screen. Tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. the channel is showing the ‘Infinite Worlds of HG Wells”. It is an interesting fictionalised account of author HG Wells and how he was inspired to write novels like ‘The Time Machine’.

    The channel also harbours ambitious desires of rising to the next level by extending the concept of the fairy tale to adult audiences. Next month on the 27th and 28th at 9 p.m, Storybook scandals will see the channel present two classic fairy tales where the end is not soppy and feel good. The first tale is the Grimm Brothers Snow White. It has state-of-the-art special effects not seen in previous versions. Starring Oscar nominated Brit Miranda Richardson (Tom And Viv) the wicked queen tries to kill Snow White and succeeds inspite of the best attempts of the seven Dwarfs to save the heroine.

    The second is Prince Charming where the Prince, due to a curse becomes a frog. He can only change back is if he is kissed by a woman. This happens 500 years later in Manhattan but when he finds her he falls for another woman. Luck could run out as far as he is concerned.