3 Dec, 2015 – The NASA TV channel, partially owned and powered by the latest compression technology from Harmonic and featuring programming captured and distributed in pristine UHD (2160p60) resolution, has become the first such channel available to consumers in North America. Only those with UHD-compatible televisions can view the full beauty of the breathtaking images from outer space.
Read more at the Broadcast Bridge.
3 Dec, 2015 – Following on a previously announced acquisition, Star India has now successfully completed the integration of the broadcast business of MAA Television Network.
MAA Television Network is one of the leading broadcast networks in the Telugu-language market. It has a bouquet of four channels: maa, maa Music, maa Movies and maa Gold.
Read more at World Screen
Hong Kong’s legislature is nearing final votes on the Copyright Amendments 2014. The amendments are critical to the future of the content industries in the SAR; they bring digital copyright principles to Hong Kong for the first time. The law is in dire need of updating, to take account of legal and illegal digital distribution of copyrighted materials, including entire packages of pay-TV programming. CASBAA, in its submission, noted “The 10 years of delay in formulating…these amendments mean that online piracy problems have grown and changed far beyond the expectations of those who began this process, including both government and industry.” When the bill was first introduced, the broadcasting industry – as well as other copyright-dependent sectors – warned the legislature that Hong Kong is losing jobs to piracy.
CASBAA’s position continues to be strongly supportive of passage of this Act: “we urge the Legislative Council to move as quickly as possible to pass the Bill now on the table. And we urge the government to move quickly to implement – through subsidiary legislation, Codes of Practice, or further improvements to the laws – further measures to stem the massive increase in online piracy of television programming.”
Legislators have proposed many amendments to the legislation. Some of them are spurious and many are purely linguistic, but some raise controversial issues, including proposing to give netizens the right to publish whatever content they want under the guise of “user-generated programming,” to institute a US-style “fair use” system (without US common law underpinning it), and to void contracts that might constraint their ability to do permitted acts. Some of these issues have not been considered before in the legislature, and others were debated years ago; we oppose their ill-considered inclusion at the last minute in this legislation, but will welcome more systematic and inclusive consultation by the government on these topics, after the legislature meets the vital need for action, now.
Mumbai, December 2, 2015: Star India and HBO have announced an exclusive programming
agreement that will take HBO Original content to a wider audience via both, the hotstar digital
platform and the English channels on the Star India network.
Star India is again set to redefine the viewing experience on one of the world’s fastest growing
digital content platforms namely hotstar and for its viewers across India, with the very best of
HBO’s Original programming including series like Game of Thrones and True Detective.
Commenting on the deal Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India, said, “Star is delighted to partner
with HBO to bring world class HBO Originals programming for Indian viewers. Star will become
the exclusive destination for screening HBO content in India – once again resetting the
benchmark for quality and depth of content offering for its viewers. Fans will be able to watch
their favourite HBO Original programs on hotstar on the same day as the telecast in the United
States. Viewers will also be able to see the HBO Original programming on Star’s English
channels.”
He further added, “Hotstar, is a leading destination for our growing family of content viewers.
We have constantly aspired to olfer high quality content across genres and languages, and
HBO Originals with its outstanding program bouquet, I am sure will be yet another quantum leap
in delighting and enthralling our viewers.”
Jonathan Spink, HBO Asia CEO, said “HBO is delighted to enter this new chapter in India with
Star. Through the first release of our shows on Hotstar, Indian Audiences will now have
unprecedented flexibility in how they consume HBO’s much loved premium programming.”
Forthcoming series of popular HBO Originals that fans can look forward to include the extremely
popular Game of Thrones; True Detective; Silicon Valley; Veep; and Leftovers as well as new
HBO Original series in the forthcoming season which will include the Scorsese series Vinyl
scheduled to air on 14 Feb and Westworld. In addition library favourites such as Entourage, Band
of Brothers, The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm will be available.
About Star India
Star India has defined the Indian media landscape for over two decades and today is one of the
country’s leading media conglomerates, reaching approximately 650 million viewers a month
across India and more than 100 other countries. Star generates 20,000 hours of content every
year and broadcasts 40+ channels in 8 different languages, reaching 9 out of 10 C&S TV
homes in India.
The network’s entertainment channel portfolio includes Star Gold, Channel V, Star World, Star
Movies, Star Utsav, Life OK, Movies OK and Star Plus, India’s No. 1 Hindi General
Entertainment Channel. It has a leading presence in regional broadcasting as well, through a
bouquet of affiliate channels which includes Star Jalsha, Jalsha Movies, Star Pravah, Asianet,
Asianet Plus, Suvarna, Suvarna Plus, Vijay and now Maa. It is also present in the Indian movie
production and distribution space through Fox Star Studios, an affiliate joint venture company.
STAR India is making quantum leaps in transforming sports in the country by leveraging the
group’s strengths in superior content and audience engagement. STAR’s sports business has
grown rapidly to 8 channel properties (STAR Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and STAR Sports HDI, HD2, HD3
and HD4), making it the leading sports network in the country.
With our viewers on the move, Star is set to drive the agenda on digital content consumption in
the country through its wholly owned subsidiary company. starsports.com has redefined the
future of sports consumption in India and now hotstar.com brings your favourite TV shows,
movies and sports in one destination.
Star India is a fully owned subsidiary of 2lst Century Fox.
For further information please contact:
Parul Sharma
parul.sharma@startv.com
+91 98119 88996
+91 124 6654 408
About HBO ASIA
Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive
licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios including Paramount Pictures,
Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and
award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes that are produced exclusively for HBO
viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories
across Asia and offers a bouquet of channels and services including 24-hour commercial-free
subscription movie channels in standard-definition and high-definition – HBO, HBO
SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS, CINEMAX and RED by HBO – as well as HBO GO
and HBO ON DEMAND. HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the
DreamWorks Channel in Asia. Log on to www.hboasia.corn for more information.
For further information: please contact:
Shonali Bedi
Shonali.bedi@hbosouthasia.com
+91 9891202020
Singapore, 2 December, 2015 – Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific today announced it will be airing RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS featuring President Barack Obama. This special, acquired from Electus International and Bear Grylls Ventures, features President Obama trekking through the Alaskan wilderness with Bear Grylls while on a visit to observe the effects of climate change on the area. It is scheduled to air on Discovery Channel across Asia Pacific from 18 December, immediately after its premiere in the US on the evening of 17 December.
Discovery Channel will also be premiering the second season of RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS in Q1 2016. This season follows Bear Grylls as he takes Hollywood’s biggest celebrities – including stars such as Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez, Ed Helms, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Michael B. Jordan, James Marsden and Drew Brees – on a one-on-one adventure that tests their survival skills and pushes their mental and physical boundaries. From the Nevada Desert to the Italian Alps to the Panama Jungle, Grylls and each celebrity push both their minds and bodies to the limit in these extreme environments to successfully complete their journey.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel, the flagship network of Discovery Communications, is devoted to creating the highest quality pay-TV programming in the world and remains one of the most dynamic networks on television. First launched in 1985, Discovery Channel reaches 210 million subscribers in Asia Pacific. It offers viewers an engaging line-up of high-quality non-fiction entertainment from blue-chip nature, science and technology, ancient and contemporary history, adventure, cultural and topical documentaries.
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ATF / SINGAPORE (DECEMBER 3, 2015) – Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific has cemented its ongoing relationship with Xilam by snapping up the new series of one of the hottest properties in slapstick animation, Oggy and the Cockroaches.
Slated for a 2017 premiere, Oggy and the Cockroaches Season 5 (78×7’) will be available in Ultra HD. Since it first aired in 1998, the show – soon to boast a library of more than 115 half-hours – has been seen by an estimated 600 million households in 150 countries. This acquisition follows the co-production agreement between Cartoon Network and Xilam for 2012’s Season 4, which is currently airing exclusively on the network.
“Over the past few years, Cartoon Network has become known as the ‘Home of new Oggy’ and with Season 5 now secured, I’m happy to announce that this is set to continue for a long time to come,” said Mark Eyers, Chief Content Officer for Turner’s Kids Networks in Asia Pacific. “Oggy has a winning formula that has made it hugely popular with kids in this region. Alongside our other original series, this blue cat bolsters an enviable line-up of animated comedy.”
Fast-paced, zany, rip-roaringly hilarious, the award-winning series tracks the prankish misadventures and confrontations between a chubby cat named Oggy and three pesky cockroaches, Joey, Dee Dee and Marky.
Marc Du Pontavice, Founder and CEO of Xilam, added, “Oggy’s worldwide success continues to hit new highs and we are thrilled to announce that Cartoon Network is committed to being the show’s broadcaster of this brand new season in Asia Pacific.”
Over four action-packed seasons and almost 20 years and 300 episodes, Oggy has relentlessly battled his nemeses. In season 5, this cat and those pesky bugs are going to present a different facet of their enduring rivalry by featuring Oggy through the ages. The battle against the roaches continues but this time they’re in period dress. It’s an unlikely collision between history and slapstick.
-Ends-
2 Dec, 2015 – English entertainment channel AXN has collaborated with a comic based convention Comic Con India for its Delhi and Mumbai edition of 2015.
The channel is the exclusive television partner for the Delhi Comic Con from 4 to 6 December 2015 whereas the Mumbai Film and Comic Con will be held from 19 to 20 December at Bombay Exhibition Centre.
The channel has arranged a dedicated zone to uniquely engage with the fans and visitors of Comic Con India both in Delhi and Mumbai. It has also created an experiential photo booth called the AXN Wall of Hunks wherein viewers can click pictures with their favourite characters. Onlookers can participate in the customised character interaction opportunity and win exclusive AXN goodies. The event will also see the widely loved characters at the zone.
Read more at Indian Television
2 Dec, 2015 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a music album called ‘Shanti Samsara: World Music for Environmental Consciousness’ at the COP21 conference in Paris.
Produced by Zee Music Company, a division of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, the album was presented to French President Francois Hollande by Modi.
The album celebrates nature through different cultures around the world with 300 musicians, including seven Grammy winners, all coming together to create environmental consciousness.
Read more at Television Post
1 Dec, 2015 – This is an ever-changing TV landscape that over the years has changed remarkably with the invention of the DVR and Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). We are no longer bound to a schedule created by a group of people trying to guess what people want to watch and when they want to watch it. Yet our system for measuring success hasn’t changed and that’s a problem in need of fixing.
Fox (NASDAQ:FOXA) (NASDAQ:FOX) believes it has a solution.
Last year cable subsidiary FX became the first network to stop supplying overnight ratings for its programming. In other words, instead of giving audiences and investors immediate feedback, it waited until time-shifted 3-day data became available.
Read more at Seeking Alpha
1 Dec, 2015 – FORT LAUDERDALE — GroupM owner WPP’s CEO Sir Martin Sorrell once famously called Google a “frenemy”. So why did GroupM recently acquire a digital advertising company ensconced in Google’s world?
“We’re the guys who coined the term ‘frenemy’, and we’re not big fans of the whole walled garden concept that Google represents,” Group M global chairman Irwin Gotlieb tells Beet.TV in this video interview. “We’ve developed our own tech stacks to deal with the digital area. We prefer not to use the Google technology.”
So why did GroupM just acquire Essence?
Read more at Beet TV
