Mumbai, January 23, 2013 – ZEE today reported its third quarter fiscal 2013 consolidated revenue of Rs 9,388million. The consolidated poerating profit (EBITDA) for the quarter stood at Rs 2,611 million and PAT was Rs 1,933 million. The EBITDA margin for the quarter stood at 27.8% and the PAT margin was 20.6%.

 

ZEE_Q3_FY2013_Financial_Release_FINAL.pdf

ZEE_Q3_FY2013_Earnings_Release_FINAL.pdf

MOVIE STAR JOAN CHEN IN SINGAPORE FOR HBO ASIA’S FIRST ORIGINAL CO-PRODUCTION SERIES
Ario Bayu and Russell Wong Join Cast of ‘Serangoon Road’

SINGAPORE, JANUARY 23, 2013 – HBO Asia, the leader in home entertainment, today hosted a press conference in Singapore featuring the internationally acclaimed Hollywood movie star, Joan Chen. Joan Chen is currently starring in HBO Asia’s first original co-production with Australia’s ABC TV, SERANGOON ROAD.

Joan Chen has starred in critically acclaimed films such as Mao’s Last Dancer (2009), The Home Song Stories (2007), and the 9-time Oscar®-winning film, The Last Emperor (1987). She has appeared in the cult crime/drama TV series, Twin Peaks (1990), and was recently acting alongside Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen in the Emmy®-winning HBO Original Movie, Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012).

“We are very proud that Joan Chen is starring in SERANGOON ROAD. Although filming has started, the series continues to attract additional talented cast and crew from around the world. HBO Asia is playing a valuable and significant role in contributing to global television entertainment through the cross-pollination of knowledge, skills and expertise in our very first HBO Asia original series co-production,” said Jonathan Spink, Chief Executive Officer, HBO Asia.

Rising Indonesian star Ario Bayu joins a cast led by Hollywood star, Joan Chen, and Australian actor, Don Hany (East West 101; Offspring) as regular casts in SERANGOON ROAD, while US-based Russell Wong guest stars as Chen’s character’s late husband.

Best known for his role in Joko Anwar’s Kala and Pintu Terlarang; Ario Bayu received Indonesia Movie Awards’ Best Supporting Actor nomination in Laskar Pelangi; Rumah Dara (Macabre); and Catatan (Harian) Si Boy. He will also headline the movie, Java Heat, starring opposite Mickey Rourke and Kellan Lutz.

Another addition is Russell Wong who has appeared in movies such as Romeo Must Die, The Mummy – Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor and The Joy Luck Club, and will be reunited with Joan Chen following their joint appearance in Tai-Pan.

Other new guest stars of the series that were announced today include Melody Chen (The Teenage Textbook Movie), Randall Tan (Twisted) and Joshua Tan (Ah Boys To Men). Cast members that were previously announced include US-based Singapore actor, Chin Han (The Dark Knight, Contagion) Singapore’s Alaric Tay (The Noose) and Pamelyn Chee (Little Nyonya); Australia’s Maeve Dermody (Rake; Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms) and Rachael Blake (Wildside; The Straits). Guest stars also previously announced include Singapore acting veterans Lim Kay Tong (The Photograph), Tan Kheng Hua (The Blue Mansion), Edmund Chen (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li) and local television and film legend Xiang Yun (We Not Naughty). Other guest stars include television drama regulars Priscelia Chan (My Sassy Neighbour) and Bernard Tan (Point Of Entry), Singapore Idol finalist, Nurul Huda and theatre mainstay Timothy Nga (The High Cost Of Living).

For the production, scenes have been shot across various locations in Singapore such as Raffles Hotel, former colonial houses and heritage buildings in various parts of Singapore to get the authentic look of Singapore in the 60s in which SERANGOON ROAD is set. In addition, replicas of certain parts of old Singapore, such as Bugis Street and Chinatown, have been built at Infinite Studios’ facilities in Batam, Indonesia.

The series is currently in production and is slated to premiere on HBO in the third quarter of this year.

SYNOPSIS

SERANGOON ROAD is a ten episode hour-long fast-paced detective drama series set in vibrant and tumultuous 1960s Singapore, bringing to life the dangerous underbelly of secret societies, the opulent world of European and international expatriates, and the colorful street life of Bugis Street, Chinatown and Serangoon Road. The series takes its name from Serangoon Road, which was one of the earliest roads built in Singapore and was then known as “the road leading across the island”. Serangoon Road was the key thoroughfare that spanned the length of the island when it was built, making it a unique crossing point for all walks of life, and it is symbolic of the series as an important main road that traditionally linked the various communities in Singapore.

# # #

About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios – Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros., as well as a large number of major independent studios. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers. HBO Asia offers five subscription movie channels with uninterrupted programming in standard definition and high definition formats – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and CINEMAX – as well as HBO GO, the brand new Internet streaming service, HBO ON DEMAND, a subscription video-on-demand service, and RED, HBO Asia’s first premium Asian movie channel. HBO Asia is the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and WarnerTV in Asia and a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

HBO and Home Box Office are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

For more information or images, please contact:

Karen Lai
Director, Communications
HBO Asia
Tel: (65) 6381 1796
Email: karen.lai@hboasia.com

Angela Poh
Manager, Communications
HBO Asia
Tel: (65) 6381 1838
Email: angela.poh@hboasia.com

Zee Chan
Executive, Communications
HBO Asia
Tel: (65) 6381 1790
Email: zee.chan@hboasia.com

January 23, 2013: Portfolio Entertainment has announced that the first season of You Gotta Eat Here, a successful food series, is to air on Discovery Asia.

Season one of the show will be broadcast across the Pacific Rim, Southern Asia, China and India. Produced for Food Network Canada by Lone Eagle Entertainment, You Gotta Eat Here follows comedian and food enthusiast John Catucci as he ventures to find the best comfort food in Canada. Portfolio recently landed the distribution rights to the second season, which has been picked up by UKTV.

Read more at World Screen

Top Gear Korea Launches on KIX and KIX HD with Star Tour and Launch Party
Korean Star Yeon Jung-Hoon Appeared in Malaysia to Party with Fans

Hong Kong (January 21, 2013) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, will be rolling out the second season of Top Gear Korea (TGK), the only Asian adaptation of the world’s most popular motoring show, on KIX and KIX HD this January. To celebrate the launch of the second season of TGK, Yeon Jung-Hoon, famous Korean TV actor and celebrity racer appeared in Malaysia as a special guest at a KIX HD party. Surrounded by sexy racing ladies, Yeon played racing games and partied with fans.

Touted as the number one English HD channel in Malaysia**, KIX HD is an exciting high definition channel for Asia that combines the very best in action entertainment. Living up to its tagline, “Get into Action”, KIX HD showcases a wide array of heart-pumping, adrenaline-rushing action entertainment such as combat sports, action series, cutting-edge reality shows, and Hollywood and Asia’s most compelling action blockbusters.

Top Gear Korea, now in its second season on KIX and KIX HD, is the Korean adaptation of the multiple award-winning reality TV series by BBC. The show retains the core trademarks of the iconic motoring show with a unique Korean spin. Hosted by former professional racing driver Kim Jin-Pyo, car and bike enthusiast Cho Min-Ki and celebrity racing circuit member Yeon Jung-Hoon, viewers can expect informative car reviews, an all-action test track and exciting challenges; as well as Stig, the enigmatic character fondly associated with the series.

“KIX and KIX HD were built and calibrated for action. Viewers get to enjoy a high-octane blend of programs that are set to thrill every time you tune into these two channels. We are immensely pleased to have Top Gear Korea season 2 in KIX and KIX HD’s lineup and honoured to have Korean celebrity Yeon Jung-Hoon join us for the launch event. He is the epitome of the channel, having acted in numerous action dramas and now a host to an action-packed reality TV series,” said Betty Tsui, Vice President, Programming – KIX and Thrill, Celestial Tiger Entertainment.

To celebrate the launch of TGK Season 2 on KIX and KIX HD, Yeon Jung-Hoon made a special appearance at a media event and evening party at Vertigo Club in Kuala Lumpur. The actor will then head to Singapore followed by Hong Kong to conduct media interviews and attend promotional events.

Top Gear Korea Season 2 premieres on January 22nd, every Tuesday at 9PM on KIX and KIX HD. Season 2 will feature an impressive race between Cobra Helicopter and a Corvette ZR1, and a never-seen-before car football match between Korea and Japan, among other experiments that will push the boundaries.

(**Source: Nielsen Media Research Malaysia, May 1- Dec 31, 2012; channel ranks is based on average audience vs all English HD channels on Astro, Astro subscribers 4+)

– END-

Media enquiries
Pauline Poon
Celestial Tiger Entertainment
T: +852 2239 6131
E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com

About Celestial Tiger Entertainment

CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a diversified media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company focuses on the operation of branded pay television channels, content creation and content distribution targeted at Asian consumers.

CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television channels including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the most broadly distributed 24-hour Chinese and Asian movies channel in the world; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the gateway to an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; CELESTIAL MOVIES ON DEMAND, Celestial’s subscription Video On Demand service; KIX, the ultimate in action entertainment; Thrill, Asia’s only horror and suspense movie channel; and KIX HD, featuring the best of action with a late-night dose of thrillers in high definition.

As one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated independent entertainment companies, CTE produces original content which complements its channels business. CTE is also the exclusive sales agent for Hollywood studio Lionsgate in Greater China and Southeast Asia, and represents Lionsgate’s television content and vast feature film library in Japan and Korea as well.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE is a joint venture among Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Celestial Pictures, a major Asian entertainment company wholly-owned by Astro, the owner and operator of the leading DTH platform in Malaysia; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.

January 17, 2013/LONDON: Jon Penn, who currently serves as the CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises for Asia Pacific, has been hired as BBC Worldwide’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, effective in April.

In his new position, Penn, who will succeed former leader Tony Iffland and interim general manager Blair McQuade, will work under Marcus Arthur, BBC Worldwide’s London-based president for the U.K. and Australasia. He will be in charge of the ownership of the region’s P&L under the company’s new “Balanced Regionalization” plans, meant to drive revenue in the territory over the next half decade.

Read more at World Screen

COMEDY CENTRAL ASIA, ASIA’S FIRST AND ONLY 24/7 ALL-COMEDY NETWORK, AVAILABLE TO ALL ME TELEVISION SUBSCRIBERS IN THAILAND
FREE PREVIEW EXCLUSIVELY FOR ALL ME TELEVISION SUBSCRIBERS FROM 16th JANUARY TO 15th FEBRUARY 2013

BANGKOK, 18th JANUARY 2013: Comedy Central Asia announced that Asia’s only all-comedy channel will be available to Thailand’s Me Television (MeTV) subscribers from 16th January. The launch marks the latest expansion of Comedy Central across Asia, following launches in seven territories like Singapore and Myanmar last year.

Comedy Central Asia – Thailand’s first and only 24-hour all-comedy channel, features a programming schedule designed specifically for Asian viewers overflowing with original programming, stand-up and sketch comedy plus offbeat comedy TV series like Emmy® and Peabody® award-winning content, such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. MeTV subscribers will enjoy the exclusive free preview of the channel, available on MeTV’s Total Choice Extra Group in high-definition (HD) Channel 318.

Encompassing a wide variety of comedy-genres talk-show and stand-up comedy, animation, live-action sitcom, sketch-comedy, physical and gag, Comedy Central Asia will feature both original and acquired content including Comedy Central’s global hit series South Park, Workaholics and Key & Peele, the Asia Pay-TV premiere of such titles such as Anger Management, Happily Divorced, Jo Koy Lights Out, as well as classic titles Mind Your Language and Boiling Points.

Tan Sian Ju, Vice President, MTV & Comedy Central Brands, Viacom International Media Networks, Asia said, “We are pleased to launch Comedy Central Asia in Thailand and complete MeTV’s consumer offering with a 24/7 all-comedy channel. Everyone needs a good laugh now and then, and we are delighted that all MeTV subscribers will be able to enjoy Comedy Central’s programming and see that it is truly the funniest channel around.”

Comedy Central Asia will be available on MeTV’s Package Choice M. To subscribe, customers may visit www.totiptv.com for details.

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About Comedy Central

Comedy Central, the world’s biggest comedy network, has been making audiences laugh since it first launched in the United States in 1991. Renowned for exclusively featuring a stable of exclusive and tailor-made local and international comedy, the brand has become the ultimate destination for all kinds of humor, from traditional to satire to sketches to popular sitcoms. Outside of the United States, Comedy Central, seen in over 70 territories via more than 12 locally programmed and operated TV channels, is part of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For information about Comedy Central in Asia, visit www.comedycentralasia.com.

About Viacom International Media Networks

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands are seen globally in nearly 700 million households in approximately 170 territories and 37 languages via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties. Keep up with VIMN news by visiting the VIMN PR Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/VIMN_PR. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com, the Viacom blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

Media Contacts:

Viacom International Media Networks

Adeline Ong | Senior Director
DID: (65) 6420 7240 | Mobile: (65) 9366 7323 | Email: adeline.ong@vimn.com

Loh Bi Feng | Communications Executive
DID: (65) 6420 7154 | Mobile: (65) 9002 9607 | Email: loh.bifeng@vimn.com

Indian MSO Digicable now with over 1 million digitized pay-TV subs – securing growth with Conax Contego Plus™ upgrade
Digicable upgrading to Conax Contego Plus™ conditional access solution for securing the pan-Indian MSO’s pay-TV content and operational roadmap

Delhi, India, January 16th 2013: Conax, global provider of leading solutions for securing multi-device and digital TV services, announced today that customer Digicable, Asia’s first 500 channel digital services provider, is upgrading to the Conax Contego Plus™ content security solution. Not only has the pan-Indian MSO already achieved one million digitized subscribers, but has also recently contracted an additional 600.000 secure client devices from Conax to meet expansion and pay-TV growth demands of the many regions the MSO serves cross-India. The Conax Contego Plus™ upgrade is providing Digicable with a future-oriented, secure solution that supports advanced, flexible, interactive on-demand services enabling a bouquet of rich features, viewing options and services for subscribers, while ensure Digicable content revenues are secure.

The new solution, complimented by the advisory role provided by Conax, will help position and secure the company’s roadmap moving into the future. The Conax Contego Plus offers comprehensive support for key features including Subscription, Pairing, Fingerprinting, Messaging, DRM control and Pay-per-View, Video on Demand and an option for centralized CAS. As consumer demands grow, deployment of the Conax Contego™ solution will enable Digicable with easy upgrade and smooth transition to additional advanced services such as multiscreen viewing and over-the-top offerings provided by the highly flexible OTT and pre-integrated multiscreen solutions available from Conax.

Asif Khan, CTO, Digicable, “We are very pleased with the personal level of 24/7 operational service and integrity provided by Conax and are highly confident that Contego Plus will play a strong role in positioning Digicable into the future. Conax offers an excellent security record, flexible solutions and provides a forward-thinking policy towards partners, allowing us to select from a wide range of Conax security-certified devices and vendors that best suit our operational needs.”

According to Are Mathisen, VP Asia Sales, Conax, “Conax is proud to that Digicable has reconfirmed their partnership with Conax and selected the Conax Contego Plus solution for driving their operations and secure consumer offerings to the next level. Digicable has achieved a significant milestone in digitization race and has now taken an additional leap forward in positioning for the long term with a partner that provides both the highest level of security and the most flexible, cost-saving pre-integrated multiscreen solutions in a market which offers tremendous growth potential.”

Digicable employs full Conax Operational Services, where Conax owns and operates all elements of the content protection system on a 24/7 basis ensuring the content protection system is available, stable and operational 24/7 with the necessary capacity and high level of security at all times.

Preview Conax solutions @ Convergence India, Delhi: Jan. 16th – 18th, Stand #C-55, Hall 18

Visit Conax at the exhibition to learn more about protecting valuable TV content and for capitalizing on digitization and securing future growth. Conax will demonstrate the flexible, scalable Conax portfolio of solutions including Conax Contego™ Broadcast and the pre-integrated Conax Xtend Multiscreen™ solution, tailored to provide a secure and user friendly multiscreen experience.

About Digicable (www.digicable.in)

Digicable is one of the largest Cable distribution companies in India and places a strong emphasis on quality of service and content, enabling us to cater to millions of subscribers spread across 125 locations, in 46 cities and 14 states across India, in a very short span of time. With an advanced fibre optic backbone across our networks and state-of-the-art distribution set-ups, we bring the digital age through Cable transforming the way viewers receive information and entertainment. Today Digicable offers services in three primary areas: Cable television, Digital Cable Television and Broadband Services.

About Conax (www.conax.com)

Conax provides the future-oriented security solutions and expertise that empower multi-screen digital TV content providers around the globe to deliver premium content over the combined Over-The-Top scenario of broadcast, broadband and connected devices securely and eliminate potential revenue threats. Conax Contego™ portfolio of solutions furnish content providers, cable, satellite, IP, mobile and terrestrial operators with solutions that offer a competitive advantage – reduced hardware costs, easy deployment and upgrade, including the new Conax Xtend Multiscreen™ together with partners. Conax flagship, Conax Contego™, bundles 25 years of pioneering experience into one unique solution to guide operators in navigating and realizing new business models. Through its benchmark policy for security-evaluated client devices and strategic partner network, Conax technology secures content for operators representing 125 million pay TV consumers in over 80 countries around the globe.

ISO 9001 & 27001 certified, Conax is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and represented in Russia, Germany, Brazil, USA, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, China, Singapore, with 24/7 Global Support operations in India. Conax is part of Telenor Group who has operations in 11 markets, 33.000 employees, 150 million mobile subscriptions and is among the world’s largest mobile operators. Corporate responsibility. Follow Conax on Twitter

Jan 15, 2013: Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication (TCCL), a cable multi-service operator in India, has selected the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) architecture to provide cardless revenue security for its new digital cable TV service.

TCCL plans to digitize Tamil Nadu state in the next 12 months.

The cable MSO will rely on VCAS for DVB to secure its new digital premium content offering and help promote subscriber and revenue growth.

Read more at Telecom Lead

Jan 15, 2013 – This means populations can benefit from new information and entertainment services, while partnering governments can achieve digital switchover bringing social transformation.

In a move set to redefine digital migration in India and the digital pay-TV space in the other emerging markets, Exset, pioneers of TV ecosystems for emerging markets, and Digital Telemedia (DTM) have announced their co-operation with Digital Telemedia becoming a Digital Monitization System (DMS) technology partner.

Read more at India Infoline