Reliance Entertainment enters home video market

Reliance Entertainment Pvt Ltd plans to open home video retail stores starting next month, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The firm, part of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group which runs Adlabs Films Ltd, plans to invest $100 million in home video retail over five years, Rajesh Sawhney, President, Reliance Entertainment, said launching its BigFlicks.com web site.

The site would allow downloads and free streaming, he said. "The idea is to start engaging with the customers then we can move the customer who is coming to the shop to home delivery model," Sawhney said. The retail format would move customers gradually to broadband as India's broadbrand presence increases, he added.


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Bajaj Auto plans bike that runs 109 km a litre

Bajaj Auto is planning to launch a fuel-efficient 125 cc bike that offers 109 km a litre.

This bike, called Exceed, is slated to be launched in mid-September, according to Mr Vimal Sumbly, National Sales Manager.

Speaking to newspersons, he said that the company is launching a new-generation engine ahead of the rollout of bikes to educate people about the advantages of new technology that combines the features of fuel efficiency and performance.

Data from the last 8-10 months show that sales of 100 cc bikes ahs gone down to 61 per cent (73 per cent); this has a direct correlation with 21-31 per cent growth during the same period in 125 cc bikes, he said.

“The 100 cc bike segment is estimated at about 1,80,000 bikes and we expect to step up sales in the 125 cc segment.”

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CNN.com, Google tie up for AdSense service

CNN.com and Google have entered into an agreement designed to enlist Google's AdSense advertising program on the former's website.

Through this collaboration, the AdSense service places contextually relevant ads alongside CNN.com content, allowing both small and large advertisers to target CNN.com specifically and connect with high quality content and traffic.


Under the terms of the deal, Google will serve as the exclusive provider of auction-based text advertisements throughout CNN.com.

CNN.com SVP and GM David Payne remarked, ''At CNN.com, our mission is laser-focused on providing up-to-the-minute news and information to our users. Our new relationship with Google will deliver relevant ads to our users, enhancing their overall experience on CNN.com. We look forward to a successful partnership.''

Google offers publishers a simple way to monetize their content by connecting them with hundreds of thousands of advertisers. With a variety of ad formats including text, image and video, AdSense gives advertisers the ability to communicate their messages in compelling ways and allows publishers to customize the look and feel of their sites to give consumers the best possible online experience.


Google strategic partnership director Marc Leibowitz added, ''CNN.com is an important and respected news source, and we are pleased to enhance the reader experience through the targeted placement of relevant ads. By connecting CNN.com to our valuable base of advertisers, our AdSense program provides an effective and efficient way to monetize quality online content, ultimately benefiting readers, advertisers, and CNN.com.''
AdSense has a number of targeting options so publishers can maximize their revenue potential and advertisers can effectively meet their campaign goals no matter what their budget. Site targeting, a feature of AdSense available to all program participants, helps publishers earn even more revenue by connecting them with new advertisers who are willing to bid a higher cost-per-thousand impressions for space on their site.

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ICC announces partners for Twenty20 WC in South Africa

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced partners for its inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament, set to take place in South Africa next month.


It has announced that telecom firm Reliance, real estate company Emaar MGF, handset manufacturer Nokia and soft drinks and snacks firm Pepsi are global partners.


Yahoo! is the official website and portal for the event.


Four South Africa-based local sponsors were also announced: Standard Bank of South Africa – financial services, South Africa Tourism, Southern Sun Hotels and Imperial Car Rental.


"In return for their commitment, I believe our sponsors will receive extensive value thanks to ESPN Star Sports' extensive rights agreements which will ensure coverage in more than 110 countries," said ICC CEO Malcolm Speed.

Further details of sponsor activations before and during the tournament will be announced in due course.

The trophy for the tournament made of 12 kg of silver-rhodium was also unveiled at the event.


The tournament begins with hosts South Africa playing the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 11 September and culminates with the final at the same venue on 24 September.


The tournament is the first of 18 ICC events over the organisation’s new commercial period of 2007 – 2015. The period includes two ICC Cricket World Cup tournaments, in the Asian sub-continent (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) in 2011 and Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) four years later.
The International Cricket Council also today indicated it would not recognize the Indian Cricket League, though it said any sponsor was free to hold cricketing events within the country.

Speed said recognition to any new organization was only possible after consulting the existing member in that country, in this case the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).

Speed said he had forecast two years ago that many sponsors would come forward to promote cricket in every country, and so he was not surprised that this was happening.

But he said that the Indian Cricket League promoted by Subhash Chandra had not yet applied to seek recognition of the ICC for hosting a domestic Twenty 20 series. However, if it did so, the ICC would first refer the matter to the BCCI.

Other criteria applied by the ICC for granting recognition included verifying who were playing in the game, whether the venue was safe from the security point of view, and whether the interest of the sponsor was charitable or developmental.

He said there was no reason to stop ICL from sponsoring a series within the country, but ICC would only work with BCCI. And he added that the ICC would not recognize a body which was only using retired players.

Meanwhile, Speed said the ICC had applied to the International Olympics Association for membership. Answering a query, he said that whenever approved, the Twenty 20 series would be ideal for the Olympics games since they took less time than the one-dayers.

"The aim was to keep cricket alive. If test matches proved too long, the one-dayers brought in the money. The Twenty 20 will bring a range of new audiences," Speed added.

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Tata Indicom launches Samsung Flo

Tata Teleservices Ltd, a CDMA telecom service provider, on Tuesday announced the launch of Samsung Flo, a slim slider phone with touch sensitive keypad. Priced at Rs 7999, the product carries a one-year warranty from the date of activation.

The phone has 1.3 megapixel digital camera, coupled with video recording and streaming facilities.

According to Tata Teleservices, Samsung Flo will be made available across the country through the retail outlets of the company.

Said Abhijit Pal, the chief operating officer of the Kolkata circle, "The Samsung Flo is the latest entrant into the CDMA handset market and it has been introduced to suit the changing lifestyle of mobile users


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Times Now available on Watchindia.tv

Times Now has entered into an agreement with Watchindia.tv by which the English news channel is available online in the internet platform. This is the first time that Times Now is available outside India.

Times Now telecasts real time on Watchindia.tv with streaming bit rates of 400Kbps and 800kbps.


Times Now CEO Sunil Lulla said, "As the Indian expatriate population continues to grow in the U.S. and globally, we need to find new medium to report the news to a wide audience. WatchIndia is the perfect outlet to deliver the news to our dispersing culture. It allows viewers to keep up with Indian news, politics and culture at home."

WatchIndia spokesperson Tripti Singh, "As the largest news outlet in India, Times Now is the perfect partner for WatchIndia. The Indian diaspora in the U.S. only now can access news with Indian commentary getting an insider's point of view therefore feeling a bit more connected with life in Inda."


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'Heyy Babyy' grosses Rs 410 million worldwide

The success run of comedies at the box office continues. After hits like David Dhawan's Partner and Rajat Kapoor's Bheja Fry, now Sajid Khan's comedy Heyy Babyy is quickly climbing the charts.
Eros says Heyy Babyy has grossed over Rs 410 million in its opening weekend.
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The film which is part of the output deal signed by Eros International and Sajid Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, released on 24 August and has touched UK's top 10 in the same period, the release adds.
Heyy Babyy which stars actors Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan and Ritesh Deshmukh and Vidya Balan, is a comedy based on the lives of three men sworn to bachelorhood and the events which follow when an infant mysteriously lands at their doorstep. Actor Shah Rukh Khan also makes a special appearance in the film.
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Eros International India president Sunil Lulla says, "Audience reactions world-wide to Heyy Babyy have been extremely encouraging. With Sajid Khan's direction and talent like Akshay, Fardeen, Ritesh and Vidya, the film was bound to be a stupendous hit."
Heyy Babyy joins the league of big grossers this year which includes films like Partner, Guru, Chak De India, Bheja Fry and Namastey London.

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ICC finalises team of global sponsors

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised its list of global ground sponsors for the next eight years (2007-15), including its first Twenty20 World Cup starting September 11 in South Africa.

Besides the two long-term global sponsors, Indian mobile operator Reliance Communications (RCOM) and American beverage major’s Indian subsidiary PepsiCo India, the two other sponsors to have come on board are cellphone manufacturer Nokia and Dubai-based real estate company Emaar MGF.

According to sources, RCOM has coughed up between $80 million and $100 million and PepsiCo has paid around $60 million for the eight-year deal. Nokia and Emaar MGF have paid upwards of $6 million to come on board only for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup.

International cricket’s apex organisation had set itself a target of roping in four long-term global sponsors. But with Twenty20 World Cup just round the corner, Nokia and Emaar MGF will fill the space temporarily, with the hunt for the elusive two to continue post the South African tourney. An official announcement from ICC on the ground sponsors is expected by Wednesday.

However, when contacted by ET, the ICC spokesperson said, “I can neither confirm nor deny the development. We will be announcing our sponsors in due course.”

There had been months of speculation over the ground partners for ICC, with RCOM almost pulling out of the race at one point due to an impasse over some terms and conditions with ICC. Sources close to the development say that now RCOM has been able to strike a better deal with category protection in sectors it operates such as financial services, power and energy.

As per the deal, the video-streaming rights and mobile clips rights (two minutes every hour) had been offered to RCOM by virtue of its being the telecom partner. RCOM’s winning bid of around $80-100 million was the highest by any Indian company with Idea Cellular being a distant second with a bid of $50-million.

The ground rights for ICC constitute all non-broadcast rights which entail exclusive ground signage rights, free use of the World Cup logo, use of the company’s name in the background during ICC press conferences and award ceremonies besides a host of other exclusive rights. Along with these rights, the official sponsor also gets the first right of refusal for becoming the official broadcaster in categories it operates in.

ICC has also ensured that official sponsors get the bang for their sponsorship buck by inserting strict ambush marketing clauses such as ban on use of cricketers by non-sponsor brands during ICC tournaments and even restrictions on the use of Twenty20 phrase.

The global sponsorship rights for the 2000-07 period, which were with Hutch, LG, Pepsi and Hero Honda, had been signed for $25-30 million per sponsor. But the ICC hiked the sponsorship rates for the forthcoming eight-year period on two key accounts – one that it is offering exclusivity to global sponsors and minimising risks of ambush marketing and two, by ensuring at least one major event every year.

These include two World Cups, three Champions Trophy tournaments and two Twenty20 championships. ICC had invited bids from Indian and international companies for global sponsorship rights for the eight years.

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BCCI nets cool Rs 173 cr from ground sponsorship

BCCI managed to sell the ground sponsorship rights and title naming rights for a total of 55 matches to be played in India till March 2010 to Singapore-based sports marketing firm World Sports Group (WSG) for a whopping Rs 173.2 crore. The amount is three times higher than the price at which the rights were sold last time. The previous rights were sold in the range of Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore per match, which expired in 2006.

WSG, which is part of the Global Cricket Corporation based in Hong Kong, London and Singapore, was in the race along with three other competing consortiums led by Nimbus, Percept and 21st Century Media (which was disqualified for not submitting necessary documents). The winning bid was a little over BCCI’s asking price of Rs 3 crore per match.

“The record deal just demonstrates the fact that cricket is still the leading medium for an advertiser. It translated into a 300% increase in revenue, and we are glad to bring on board a new member into the BCCI family.

The fact that newer companies and clients are getting into cricket just further endorses BCCI as the premier group for cricket management,” Lalit Modi, vice-president and marketing committee head, BCCI, said.

BCCI is still negotiating with advertisers for the Twenty20 international tournaments to be played in India. These matches are slated to debut in March 2008.

Venu Nair, CEO of WSG, told ET that the value of the deal would work out to $50 million over the three-year period between 2007 and 2010. “That is the kind of exposure we are expecting from this deal,” he said.

While declining to divulge names of advertisers who bid through the WSG consortium, Mr Nair said: “We have three-four advertisers on board, and the contracts are in the process of being signed.”

Commenting on the deal, Seamus O’Brien, chairman, WSG, said: “Cricket in India delivers outstanding value. We plan to have long-term partnerships with our clients, and we will service them as partners of the BCCI.”

Elaborating on the BCCI deal, Mr Nair said: “There is a significant difference between the ground rights of the BCCI and the ICC. The former guarantees India’s presence in every single match; and this in turn helps consistently deliver returns on investment.”

ICC, in the meantime, has sealed its global sponsorship deal for the next eight years with Reliance and Pepsi for $60-80 million. Nokia and UAE-based real estate major Emaar MGF have signed on for the ICC debut Twenty20 series for $5-6 million.

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Rakhi Sawant some more!

First time on Indian television SAB brings to its audience a unconventional character Rakhi Sawant aka Ali Asgar from SAB Ka Bheja Fry who’s role depicts the dilemma of a rejected boyfriend. As luck would have it he celebrates Raksha Bandhan every day of his life.

Some guys have it easy, some guys just get plain lucky. But guess Sawant has always had it tough and been unlucky, for him Raksha Bandhan is celebrated everyday. For every girl that he’s tried, he’s gotten a Rakhi tied...

Right from his first crush in 7th Std till his present college days. Sawant always been spotted in his branded jeans and t-shirts, he’s the stud. With his glares and impeccable style, he’s the star. But when it comes to working his magic on the girls, he’s bekaar. And every time he’s stuck in a tough spot, he has a Rakhi ready to bail him out.

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MTNL launches Internet telephony service

MTNL has launched India’s first legal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, NetFone, in New Delhi, in association with Aksh Optifibre for its broadband subscribers.

“With the launch of the VoIP service, we have managed to create a single communication platform for all Indians living in India and abroad. No more will calling international be viewed as expensive. The company will be uniquely advantaged as a solutions provider for a service that can potentially reach over four million broadband subscribers in both Delhi and Mumbai,” says Dr Kailash Choudhari, managing director, Aksh Optifibre Ltd.

VoIP allows users to call each other using the Internet. The voice chat facility that Skype and Google Talk offer is based on VoIP. Calls made from Skype and Google Talk do not come under the legal framework in India, which means no authority can monitor or track a voice chat or call that takes place through it. However, the MTNL VoIP facility is legal and can be monitored.


Using NetFone, a broadband subscriber can make a call from his computer or telephone to other subscribers on their mobile, landline or computer in India or in 150 countries, among them the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and Malaysia. If the call is made through a telephone, the subscriber will have to attach a small device to enable VoIP. This facility will be available at all MTNL PCOs, too.

MTNL is using differential pricing for VoIP calls across geographical areas. For 35 countries (including the US, the UK and Canada), it will charge Re 1 per minute, and for 45 countries (including Japan and Malaysia), the charge is Rs 2 per minute. For the remaining countries, the call charge is Rs 3 per minute.

Registration and installation cost Rs 500, plus another Rs 1,500, which is a one-time payment for the device that enables VoIP. Two tariff plans are available: Plan VoIP 200 with a monthly rental of Rs 200, which offers 400 minutes of PC-to-PC calls free and 20 paise per minute thereafter; and Plan VoIP 400 with a monthly rental of Rs 400, which offers 800 minutes of PC-to-PC calls free and 10 paise per minute thereafter. In order to call beyond this, there are prepaid cards available in denominations of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, with validity of three months, six months and 12 months, respectively.

Nimbus & Co to bid for BCCI ground rights

Nimbus Communications has formed a consortium of three to four advertisers to bid for BCCI’s ground sponsorship rights, the tenders for which close on Monday (August 27). Sources say Nimbus has matched BCCI’s asking rates of Rs 3 crore per sponsor, per match. The rights are for cricket to be played in India between September ‘07 and March 2010, comprising about 50 matches in all, inclusive of one day internationals, tests and Twenty20 matches.

Interestingly, Nimbus’ all-cricket channel, Neo Sports, already has confectionery player Perfetti Van Melle and two-wheeler major Hero Honda as anchor sponsors till 2010, both of which have committed advertising worth Rs 300 crore to the broadcaster.

If Nimbus wins the bid, it would help its advertisers leverage better value during match telecasts. Nimbus officials declined to comment on the move. “It is a confidential bid so we cannot comment,” a Nimbus official said.

The bids, which include sponsorship for ground rights and naming of the series, have been open since August 13 and the board is expected to announce its sponsors early next week. Unlike three months back when BCCI’s tender inviting sponsorship bids for the South Africa and Pakistan one-day series in Ireland and Scotland had no takers, this time the response from advertisers has been encouraging even though the board has hiked its sponsorship rates from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore per match, say sources.

“Investing in cricket is back on the advertiser’s radar. Advertisers are willing to invest in the sport,” a media agency source said. The Future Group had bailed out BCCI for the Ireland and Scotland series by buying out exclusive in-stadia rights for $2.2 million, about 10% lower than BCCI’s then asking rate.

Nimbus has been following a strategy of signing bulk deals with advertisers to hedge risks against fickle advertiser sentiment. It offers anchor sponsors access to about 25% of the channel’s total inventory, besides access to properties such as man of the match, winning moments of the day, maximum boundaries, and so on. Earlier this year, Nimbus was keen on getting at least two more anchor sponsors on board and had been in talks with telecom and retail banking industry players, including Hutch and Barclays.

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Max leads Hindi movie channels

Speaking of titles, Zee Cinema hogged the top ten charts across the six month period with six of its films featuring in the list. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Ghar Ho To Aisa and Phir Heraa Pheri were aired in May and June.

Though Star Gold has been strolling along in the third position in terms of shares, it garnered the maximum eyeballs when it showcased Krrish, topping the six month top ten movie charts with a whopping 4.1 TVR. Star Gold's telecast of Chup Chup Ke also featured in the charts.

From the Max stable, old timers Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaengey and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham came in to the top 10 charts delivering a TVR of 1.97 and 2.23 respectively.

How does the fight for winning the ratings battle shape up?

"You can't escape from the fact that every movie channel is very title driven. There will be weeks when competition increases and the competitor may show stronger titles. Zee Cinema had good weeks in the past and I am sure they will have a couple of good weeks ahead, but we will remain on the top," said a confident Rajani.

Not perturbed by the jolt Zee Cinema received during the two cricket dominated months, Gopinath said, "People in India are very sentimental about cricket, therefore it is bound to benefit the channel. However, we are back and hope to take the leadership spot."

Zee Cinema has branded different time slots to generate appointment viewership. The channel recently introduced 'Bhakti ki Shakti', a Sunday morning slot for mythological movies, which according to the channel is doing well.


Apart from the two movies in the top 10, Star Gold has managed to perform consistently except in April but has always stayed in the third spot.

When most movie channels are banking on the weekends, Star Gold has introduced a Monday prime time band for screening its library of comedy flicks. These include Bheja Fry, Darwaza Band Rakho and Ek Chalis ki Last Local with more to follow.

Additionally, Star Gold is running a Bond festival for the first time called 'Main hoon Bond' by dubbing these films in Hindi.

Filmy is still struggling to achieve a share in the double digit. The channel from the Sahara stable has crossed the experimentation phase and is now is ready to offer films with a blend of other programs in comedy and reality format. It has introduced the Rajnikant film festival and has its fingers crossed for the upcoming reality show Bathroom Singer.

Speaking of the channel's differentiated strategy, Filmy business head Shailesh Kapoor said, "We are still new as compared to other channels. Even then we have proved ourselves. In terms of acquisitions, distribution and revenues we have grown. Now the real phase starts when we slowly unveil comedy and reality shows on our channel."

The channel saw a fall in shares to six in the month of March. Senior executives have blamed it on distribution which they claim to have corrected now.

Completely isolated from all the action in the movie space is B4U Movies which has not managed to surpass a share of two over the six-month duration.

What's interesting, heightened activity is expected to take place in the coming months with Hindi movie channels from the Reliance Group, Viacom 18 and UTV slated for launch.

Will there be a scarcity of content causing a threat to existing players?

Rajani says, "There will certainly be a crunch of movies. I think there are very little movies available in the market for purchase for the next two years. Almost every major title has been tied up with some or other channel but I am sure the channels that are coming up must have planned something for themselves. There is certainly a dire need of more content. But we are not at all threatened."

Gopinath adds, "There is enough space available and I don't think it will lead to any scarcity of content."

"Bollywood has a mass appeal. That means more viewership and advertisers. GRPs of movie channels are increasing by 20 to 25 per cent every year and that gives a lot of scope for an advertiser," avers Kapoor

Is Indian cricket about stars in the game or vice versa?

Will ICL expose the Indian cricket fan? This is the fear that lies at the core of the ICL–BCCI imbroglio, says Mr Raghavendra Patnaik, Legal Adviser of Mumbai-based Globosport , a sports and entertainment management company promoted by tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi.

“Why else would a venture that hasn’t yet hosted a single cricket match earn the wrath of a body that has ‘governed’ cricket in India for three quarters of a century?” he asks, sharing with Business Line his personal views over an e-mail interaction.

Excerpts from a quick interview:

What are the immediate questions that arise from the clash?

Many. Such as: Is the Indian Cricket League (ICL) really what it professes to be — an alternative platform for cricket and cricketers in India, which will create feeder lines of talent that will eventually raise standards and make us champions? Or is it an emphatic rejection of the monopoly (and alleged autocracy) of the BCCI — a rebel league as some sections of the media have dubbed it? Or, is it an aftermath of the Zee-BCCI telecast rights controversy with the ICL promoters determined to redden the face of the BCCI?

Surprising?

Hardly. That these questions and conspiracy theories have gripped national attention over the past few weeks is not surprising given our eternally self-proclaimed “passion for cricket”. Possibly the real question and by far the most irksome one is – “will the ICL expose the truth about India’s passion for cricket?”

Isn’t our ‘passion’ real?

It seems ridiculous and blasphemous in equal measure to even suggest an examination of our love for the gentleman’s game. After all, we worship our cricketers, organise mannats and havans for their success, discuss them at work, over dinner, at meetings … We pride ourselves on being a one-sport nation and have embraced cricket as the predominant unifying fabric of our nation. But …

But?

Are we passionate about cricket or are we just star-struck? Do we love the Cover Drive simpliciter or does it have to be the Sachin Tendulkar cover drive? Why do television ratings for ODI cricket fall by several points as soon as Sachin gets out?

What is the diagnosis?

The truth is that for years we have defined very specifically the brand of cricket that we love to watch and have rarely if ever gone beyond. Why else are the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy played out in empty stands, while riots and stampedes become commonplace at international cricket fixtures featuring the icons of Team India?

We love the game, don’t we?

If cricket indeed ran in our veins wouldn’t we be making a beeline for these domestic matches encouraging and egging on the likes of Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Deep Dasgupta and Amol Majumdar? In the decadence of domestic cricket in India lies the true reflection of cricket’s popularity or lack thereof in the region.

What do you see as the possibilities, with ICL in the picture?

If there is at all a distinction between the love for cricket — the sport and the adulation for cricketers — the icons, the ICL will help bring this out. On the other hand if the people of India fill out into stadia hosting ICL matches featuring a sprinkling of legends and a host of young faces, it will be a true endorsement of Indians as cricket lovers. If not the ICL will fail as an experiment, but the true loss of face will be for the Indian cricket fan who will be revealed as a hero worshipper rather than a true lover of the game itself.

The last word?

Alas, “People can cry much easier than they can change,” as James Baldwin (African-American writer) said. It seems with the ICL everyone is on trial – the BCCI, the ICL, the players, the sponsors, the media and you and me!

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Sleepy? Cut out late-night TV and surfing Internet

People who spend more pre-bedtime hours using the Internet or watching television are more likely to report that they don’t get enough sleep, even though they sleep almost as long as people who spend fewer pre-bedtime hours in front of a computer or television screen, survey findings show.
“While many people use electronic media, such as the Internet, it should be noted that the longer media use before sleep can trigger (self-perceived) insufficient sleep,” lead researcher Dr. Nakamori Suganuma, of Osaka University, Japan, told Reuters Health.

He and colleagues obtained data on self-perceived sleep problems and the use of electronic media prior to bedtime from a total of 5,875 Japanese respondents to two separate Internet-based surveys. Their findings are published in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms.

Nearly half of the respondents associated their lack of sleep with electronic media use before bedtime. Those reporting longer electronic media use were also more likely to report insufficient sleep.

Overall, 29 per cent of light users (less than 1.5 hours) listed electronic media use as a possible cause of their insufficient sleep. By comparison, 40 per cent of medium users (1.5 to 3 hours) and 54 per cent of heavy users (more than 3 hours) said the same. However, longer Internet and television use before bedtime did not correlate with less actual sleep. While heavy users averaged about 3 more hours in front of computer or television screens than light users, the heavy users averaged only about 12 minutes less pre-workday sleep time than light users.

Notably, Suganuma said, “Internet use affected self-perceived insufficient sleep more than TV watching ... not only in younger Internet users but also in middle-aged or aged Internet users.”

Up to 38 per cent of the respondents listed accessing the Internet far into the night as a possible cause for their sleep disturbance, while about 25 per cent said watching television far into the night caused their sleep problems. The findings suggest that while heavy computer and television use before bedtime has a small effect on sleep duration, it may have a more significant effect on “sleep demand and sleep quality,” Suganuma notes.

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DTH firms HITS out at multi-system operators

DTH majors and multi system operators (MSOs) are now engaged in a spat over the new digital delivery system — headend in the sky (HITS). DTH players like Tata Sky and Bharti Airtel have told telecom regulator Trai that MSOs who provide this service must do so only through cable operators and not directly to the end-subscriber.

They have argued that if MSOs are allowed to offer this service directly to the end-user, there would be no differentiation between DTH and HITS platform. On the other hand, MSOs are of the view that they must be permitted to offer this service to both cable operators and also directly to customers.

Bharti has told Trai that those HITS service providers should not be allowed to provide signals directly to end-consumers, while adding that the distinction between HITS operator and DTH should be maintained.

Reliance Bluemagic, which is set to launch its DTH operations soon, as well as currently operational Tata Sky has suggested to Trai to follow a technology neutral policy. This implies that if HITS operator is allowed to service the end-consumers in addition to cable operators, then DTH players (who currently service only end-users) must also be permitted to share their signals with the local cable operator (LCOs).

The MSOs on the other hand maintain that while they be allowed to service both segments — LCOs and end users — any amendment allowing DTH operators to do the same would result in the MSO industry being put out of their jobs. Hinduja promoted Incablenet has said that DTH should be remain a direct-to-home concept and should neither be allowed to use LCOs to reach consumers. Moreover, DTH operators should also not be allowed to set multiple-dwelling units and society-based units, it added.

Endorsing the same line, MSOs like Essel promoted WWIL and Mumbai-based Hathway has asserted that the HITS systems should be allowed to reach the consumers directly and act as the last mile operator (LMO). Justifying the move, they said that since HITS would operate in the C band it will not compete with DTH operator.

They also said that investments made in DTH operations are similar to HITS, therefore the latter should also be allowed similar revenues. This is because, if the HITS operator is not allowed to reach consumers directly, the operator would have to give a revenue cut to the LMOs unlike DTH operators which enjoy 100% revenues, they added.

HITS works as follows. The infrastructure provider downlinks all the pay channels and decodes it. These signals are then scrambled according to the requirement after going through the conditional access system. They are multiplexed and uplinked again to a satellite which acts as a ‘headend in the sky’ and beams these signals to all the headends at the local cable operator’s end.

The difference between HITS and other digital formats such as CAS and DTH is that it is an interactive system where the viewer can use the same infrastructure (set-top-box) to not only watch the programmes of her choice but also watch them at a time convenient to her. With HITs, one can also access other facilities such as running searches, pay-per view and blocking programming by title, channel or rating.

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India second-largest market for Nokia

India has now become the second-largest market for Nokia in terms of sales, ahead of the US. Over the past three years, India has been gaining significant ground year-on-year, moving from the 4th position in 2005 to third in 2006, and it is today poised right behind China.

Making this announcement, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, the president and CEO of Nokia Corporation, who was in New Delhi today, said, “India is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy buoyed by impressive economic growth, skilled manpower and tremendous business opportunity. Today, India hosts a comprehensive Nokia R&D, manufacturing and design presence. Moreover, we are also the country’s leading provider of wireless infrastructure through Nokia Siemens Networks, the newly-merged entity. This not only reiterates our commitment and belief in the market but also underscores India’s emergence as a strategic resource hub for Nokia globally.”

The company also announced that half of the handsets manufactured at its plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, was being exported to 58 countries across Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The company currently employs over 9,000 people and has 95,000 outlets with 50,000 exclusive Nokia brand stores. The Sriperumbudur manufacturing plant alone employs 4,700 people, 70 per cent of them women.

Moreover, Nokia Telecom Park, which received an investment of $500 million (Rs 2,043 crore) from the company and seven global component manufacturers, is likely to generate over 30,000 jobs when fully functional.

Buoyed by the growth of the Indian economy and the telecommunications segment, the company sees the country as a focused market.

The prompt ‘product advisory’ issued recently (the company does not call it a recall) for the BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial, indicates how sensitive it is about its reputation. The feedback that the company received post its advisory also reiterates its position in India. On the very first day (August 16) of the opening of its centre for advice on the faulty batteries, Nokia India answered 20,000 calls and received 1.45 lakh SMSes.

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RCom, others in race for BCCI sponsorship

Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications, Pepsi and Idea Cellular are among the eight corporates that have bid for the sponsorship of international cricket matches to be held in India till March 2010. One or all the three biggies are likely to be the sponsors covering all home games for four years.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BBCI) had invited bids on August 13 for the sponsorship of one-day internationals, tests and Twenty20 matches to be played in India between September 2007 and March 2010. Sources in the know said that the BCCI stated a minimum base sponsorship amount of Rs 3 crore. When contacted, a BCCI executive declined to comment.

The bidding companies have the choice of either bidding individually or as a group.

This means that it could be one sponsor for the next four years or a group of sponsors, who decide among themselves to sponsor different cricket matches.

Pepsi, TVS and Videocon had formed a consortium a few years ago for the sponsorship of all international cricket events in India, which ended on May 31, 2006. Under this plan, title sponsorship of all international cricket matches in India during the period was restricted to only these three corporates.

This year the same system could be repeated. The sponsors will be announced early next week after the bid closes on August 27.

The BCCI has already sold the broadcasting rights to Harish Thawani-promoted Nimbus Communications.

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Internet Boom: Web ads going up then Tv ads

Britons are changing their media habits as more women and people over 65 go online and as more consumers opt for a single provider for their Internet, entertainment and phone services, an industry report says.

Among the changing trends in 2006, children are cutting back from using computer games to spend time on mobile phones and the Internet, British media regulator Ofcom said in its annual report.

As technologies, platforms and devices have come together due to increased broadband penetration, more people are making phone calls over the Internet, listening to radio via television and watching TV over mobile phones.

In response, advertisers diverted more money to the Internet and away from traditional sources, Ofcom said.

"Our communications sector continues to develop at a fast pace, with consumers of all ages using a range of devices to find the services they want," said Peter Phillips, Ofcom partner of strategy and market developments.

Average daily Internet use was 36 minutes in 2006, up 158 per cent on 2002, while time spent on the mobile phone also increased, up 58 per cent at almost 4 minutes per day.

On the down side, time spent watching TV fell 4 per cent during that period, although it still dominated with average daily viewing at 3 hours and 36 minutes.

Listening to radio was down 2 per cent at 2 hours and 50 minutes, and time spent on a fixed-line phone was down 8 per cent at 7 minutes.

WEB ADS UP, TV ADS DOWN

As a result, TV advertising spend fell 4.7 per cent in 2006 from 2005, coinciding with the spread of video content available online and the growth of digital video recorders, which can skip adverts.

Radio advertising spend fell 7.8 per cent in the same period, while Internet advertising spend rose 47 per cent.

In other changes, more people over the age of 65 used the Internet, spending an average of 42 hours online every month, more than any other age category, while one quarter of all British Internet users are over the age of 50.

The Web also attracted more women, with those aged 25 to 34 spending more time on the Internet than men of that age.

Some 20 per cent of respondents to a survey said they made phone calls over the Internet offered by so-called VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) providers, while headline Internet speeds increased. By April 2007, 53 per cent of households had a broadband connection.

The growth of broadband penetration has been driven in part by groups such as satellite operator BSkyB and Virgin Media, which offer broadband as part of their packages.

The number of consumers taking services in bundles rose to 40 per cent of the population by April 2007, up by a third over the 12 months.

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Cricket can learn ‘packaging’ from Chak De!

The ICL-BCCI issue is hot in the Indian cricket world. Belligerent sound bites fill the airwaves in talk shows and other programmes about the ongoing tussle between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Zee Group-promoted Indian Cricket League (ICL).

“However, there is no fundamental conflict between the two entities,” says Ms Latika Khaneja, Director of the New Delhi-based Collage Sports Management (CSM).

“Whatever differences are cropping up are due to politics: the TV right issues, personal ego clashes, and the economics of the entire cricket property.”

CSM manages contract negotiation and all ‘off-the-field’ business and marketing endeavours, including endorsements, promotions, and so on for sportspersons and celebrities.

The firm’s clients include cricketers such as Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra, Dinesh Mongia, Sanjay Bangar and Gautam Gambhir.

Having multiple sports bodies is a well-accepted practice all over the world, says Ms Khaneja, in an email interaction with Business Line.

“It is also very good for the players as it gives them options and careers outside of the pyramid of national cricket.”

According to her, the coexistence of two rivals will give “better pay packets to cricketers. For the public, the challenge lies with Zee to create a property that is interesting.”

On how the product offering should be, Ms Khaneja’s wish is that ICL steers clear of creating a me-too product and come up with entertainment and excitement, “because a head-to-head combat of Yuvraj and Dhoni with Dinesh Mongia and JP Yadav does not stand a chance.”

It’s all in the packaging, she adds. “Look at Chak De! India. A movie on women’s hockey starring none other than King Khan!”

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John gives gyaan on making it big in the ad world

John Abraham's acting career is making a mark but the actor returned to his first profession for a social cause.


John got on stage to promote an advertising contest for social awareness called the Concerned Communicator award. A former ad man himself, here's what John thinks is the sure shot way to the award.


“I think humour. If you can get the ad across through humor I think that's the one. People love laughing all the time. It has to be effective and the message has to come across and make you think,” says John.


Other celebrities like Anupam Kher and Shabana Azmi are also promoting the contest along with John.


And if you are wondering why John left advertising for acting, then here’s the explanation. “Media planning was all about backstage job. The heroes used to be the creative people and the media planner used to work from 9 am to 4 in the morning, that’s all we used to do," he said.


That’s John for you, spoken like a true actor, who prefers to shine in front of the camera than behind it.


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Govt not in favour of banning ads in pay channels

The government on Wednesday said it was not in favour of banning advertisements in the pay channels as it would push up the subscription cost.

"Ban on advertisements on pay channels may push up the subscription rates of such channels and may not be in the interest of viewers," PR Dasmunsi, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, said in a reply in Rajya Sabha.

No such proposal, of banning advertisements on the pay channels, is under consideration, the minister said.

The amended Cable Television Networks Rules 1994 provide that no programme shall carry advertisements exceeding 12 minutes per hour, which may include upto 10 minutes per hour of commercial advertisements, and upto 2 minutes per hour of a channel's self-promotional programmes.

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Mobile game providers chase big ad money

Mobile games could soon have advertisers come on board. Cellebrum, the VAS arm of Delhi based M-Corp, plans to launch a mobile game which will give users an opportunity to win and advertisers a space to feature their products. The game is called ‘Fastest fingers first’ and is likely to hit the markets by the end of this month. “Users have to type out a tagline of a company. Advertisers and service providers have shown great enthusiasm for this product. Many advertisers are keen to tie-up for this mobile game,” explains M-Corp Global president, sales and marketing, Paul Shoker. “Also for this text-based gaming no internet connectivity is required,” he adds. Mobile advertising is catching up with most VAS players who are introducing new products to woo advertisers to get onboard. Worldwide, the mobile advertising market is worth $10 billion. “Games will be an important part of this. Nearly 20-60 developers are designing games. By 2010, it is expected that 30% of the advertising will be on the mobile and internet,” says Qualcomm India and SAARC manager, mobile content and applications, Rakesh Godhwani. “It is fascinating to see the convergence of the television, mobiles and laptop screens. Whenever there has been a convergence of two screens, it has brought in huge revenues. Look at programmes like Indian Idol and Kaun Banega Crorepati that have received over 50 million SMSes,” adds Mr Godhwani. However, while VAS players are looking at launching new products, service providers are wary of introducing advertisers into this fold. “It could be seen as intrusion—just like telemarketing calls and SMSes on service offers,” says Airtel Karnataka chief executive officer V Venkatesh. “Also, the mobile gaming market is really small in the country and we have to see how this market progresses. However, under circumstances that permission is allowed it could be an interesting model,” he adds. It’s not an easy choice but provided the money that advertisers can bring in, most operators will be game to the idea.

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Samsung, Indiagames to launch World Cyber Games

Indiagames and Samsung India have announced the launch of the World Cyber Games 2007 (WCG 2007).

This event presented by Samsung India is being organised by Indiagames in Delhi, Kolkatta, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai this year with the Semi Finals and the India Finals being played at Mumbai on 10 September.


WCG is a computer gaming event designed to build a healthy cyber culture. The best gamers around the world gather in various cities to share the excitement and fun of the game tournaments.

The World Cyber Games (WCG) have been promoted on the lines of the International Olympic movement. Samsung Electronics is the main sponsor for the WCG in over 70 countries this year. The winners from each of the 70 countries will compete at the WCG finals being held at Seattle.

The WCG 2007 includes the following team as well as individual games - Counter Strike 1.6 (5 member team game), Warcraft III , FIFA Soccer 2007 , Need for Speed , Age of Empires III and Project Gotham Racing. “Gaming is emerging as a very strong entertainment platform across the world , especially amongst the youth and the World Cyber Games , with its Slogan of ‘Beyond the Game’ seeks to promote a healthy cyber culture .Samsung aims to utilize this e-sports platform to help fuel the development of the gaming industry in India , as well as globally” states Mr Harry Ahn, VP-IT, Samsung India Electronics.

Each of the four city preliminary WCG events will have cash rewards for the Top 4 positions along with USB Drives and 1 GB RAM memory card from Kingston and Games CDs and Adidas T Shirts to city runners up from Microsoft. Samsung will also provide T Shirts and Jackets to the City and National Winners as well as provide an all expense paid trip to World Finals of WCG 2007 at Seattle for the National winning team.


Samsung’s Myst, Mendel and Mobius series of LCD Monitors serve as the optimal display solution for gaming on account of their world best image quality, very low response time and superior contrast ratios. The Mendel series of Samsung monitors, available in 19” (932 B), 20” (206 BW) and 22” (226 BW) screen sizes, have a 16:10 Wide Format, a soft minimalist design and a response time as low as 2ms. The Samsung Mendel series of LCD Monitors are optimized for Windows Vista software.
The Samsung ‘Mobius’ LCD Monitor, available in 19” (971P) is unique both on account of its design – it comes with a triple hinge stand – and its performance. It offers superior image quality and contrast ratio of 1500:1, supports 16.7 million colours and has a response time of 6ms. Samsung’s ‘Myst’ series of LCD Monitors scores on account of its unique design – it comes with a soft minimal (bolt-less) design, with a New Ball Hinge mechanism – and offers a response time of 5ms and Contrast ratio of 700:1.

Samsung is giving offers on its LCD Monitors. Samsung India VP IT Sanjay Sharma says, “WCG 2007 provides us with a perfect platform, not only to reach out to gaming aficionados but also showcase our leading technology products to our young consumers.”

The MagicBright technology in Samsung Eye Fresh Technology (EFT) monitors allows for change in screen brightness to suit multiple applications. The technology offers specialized settings for four highly used applications – Movie Mode; Game mode; Internet mode & Text mode.

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Brand Portrait Digital gets Google Adwords Certification

Brand Portrait Digital, a full service interactive agency, has been awarded the Google Adwords Certification for its excellence in the field of search engine marketing (SEM).


With this certification, Brand Portrait Digital and its professionals are qualified to use various SEM codes and software which would optimize the end results for their clients and thereby help them to promote their concept of 'Pay for Performance,' states an official release.

Brand Portrait Digital branch director Mumbai Jaitrali Jhanjharya said, "It is a Validation of Brand Portrait's commitment and constant drive to accomplish and deliver our clients with the Best.


Google has been recently regarded as one of the consumers' most favorite online brands by Jupiter research. However in India, the Internet is used as a parallel medium of communication and clients are still apprehensive about the idea of using the Internet as the main medium of communication. With our Certification, potential clients will know that we are qualified to use Google in a way that will increase their ROI."


This certification also gives Brand Portrait Digital other benefits like promotional credits and personal customer service and access to newer products of Google at Beta trial stage. The Google Adwords Certification is one of the most coveted certifications in the online advertising industry.

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Google introduces ads on YouTube videos

After months of testing several video advertising models, Google Inc is now ready to introduce a new type of video ad in its popular online video site YouTube, which it claims is not intrusive.


The ads which appear 15 seconds after a user begins watching a video clip, take the form of an overlay on the bottom fifth of the screen, not unlike the tickers that display headlines during television news programs. But users will be able to click on the adverts to make them disappear if they find them too intrusive.

The launch of the new advertising format is believed to be a crucial step for YouTube, which has tremendous opportunity to make money from its key video content while not driving away users with too many annoying ads.

"We tested and trialled a number of advertising formats," said YouTube director of media and platforms Eileen Naughton. "We needed to be respectful of the community while offering something rich and engaging as a marketing platform."


Initially the new in-video format will only run on video content provided by select partners and not on videos uploaded by individuals, the company says. It is aiming to make the in-video advertising available to about 1,000 partners - such as Warner Music's videos and Ford Models - and select public members who are part of YouTube's partner programme.

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Dish TV, Tata Sky to have Sun channels

Dish TV has an agreement with Sun TV Ltd to offer these southern language channels to its direct-to-home (DTH) subscribers, but only when Kalanithi Maran is ready with his own DTH platform.


Tata Sky has already reached a settlement with Sun TV Ltd for taking all the channels on a bundled basis. Company officials were not willing to spell out the financial details of the deal or when Tata Sky would start beaming the Sun channels.

So for the two existing DTH players, the plate on offer for the southern viewers would be full. They were earlier handicapped with Sun blocking off its channels.


During the case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat), Tata Sky had stressed that by being denied the Sun channels, it was losing out huge business from the southern market.

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Google, Yahoo favourite online brands: Jupiter survey

Google and Yahoo are consumers' favourite online brands, states a new research report from Jupiter Research.


Both online giants which derive most of their revenues from Internet advertising, were favoured above all other brands. In the list of top 10 brands, both companies were followed by Amazon.com, eBay, MySpace, Microsoft, AOL and Apple.


Yahoo which has been not as successful as Google in converting its strong brand image into financial growth, saw a higher female fan following. "Yahoo fans skew female but tend toward the mainstream, while Google fans are more likely to be male, a little more wealthy, and influential on the subject of consumer electronics," Jupiter states.

Such research reports help facilitate online advertising, said Jupiter Research's president David Schatsky: "During a time when consumers are hit with a barrage of messages each day, advertisers are undoubtedly looking for ways to target their marketing more effectively. Determining the favorite brand of an intended target will enable marketers to reach their audiences more efficiently."

The report also showed that Apple had a relatively small band of brand supporters, but that they were very loyal and valuable customers. About 51 per cent considered themselves brand advocates.


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MTNL ties up with AOL

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) has entered into a partnership with AOL, America’s leading web service provider, to bring its products and content to India. The products and content would be available to MTNL’S broadband customers through a co-branded portal called mtnl.aol.in

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Meet the other Shweta Tiwari!

Her actual name is Shweta Tiwari, but for all practical purposes, this TV actress has now become Ridheema Tiwari.

“I have gone mad with people calling me and asking for Shweta Tiwari from Kasautii Zindagi Kay !" exclaims Ridheema Tiwari. It's but natural, because the actress, who is currently working in Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai , was originally Shweta Tiwari. "That's my real name. When I started my struggle in the telly world, I got a call from a big production house and they wanted to offer me a role. But when I entered their office, their jaw dropped because they expected to see Shweta of Kasautii !" she laughs.

Ridheema may laugh about it now, but at that time, it was turning out to be a serious problem for her, with people getting mistaken about her identity.

"I realised I'd have to change my name and so, I got it numerologically changed to Ridheema . I get fewer calls now," she says. But even after changing her name, she does get a random call or two, mistaking her to be Kasautii's Prerna .

"Once, I got a call from a Delhi-based theatre person and she wanted me to do her play. Things almost got finalised when she happened to mention that they did a popularity poll and found Shweta Tiwari to be really popular. That's when it hit me that they were talking about Prerna, because I'm not that big a name," she says.

Once, after getting a few calls from some people who wanted her to act in a commercial, she actually called Shweta's husband Raja to inform him about the offer for his wife.

But has she got any calls recently after problems between Raja and Shweta were reported? "Thankfully I didn't ! I wouldn't have known what to say if people had asked me what's happening with Raja!" she says.

Ridheema is yet to meet her namesake. "Some time ago, I was supposed to go for a get-together thrown by Raja, but I couldn't make it," she says. Though friends and family members still can't think of calling her by any other name than Shweta, Ridheema says that this name is here to stay.

"This name's working for me. I have a good role in Har Ghar... where I play a glamorous air-hostess and the good thing is, she hasn't been portrayed in a negative manner," says Ridheema.

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Orkut fakes turn to Sachins and Souravs

After the Test series in England, Sourav Ganguly sends a message to Sachin Tendulkar saying, "Well played but we need a century yaar."
Tendulkar, who is trying to quit smoking, wants to date young girls and have intimate chats with them.

* Maria Sharapova sends her match updates to Tendulkar regularly.

None of this is true, of course. But each one of them and a lot more is on Orkut — in fact, there are over 250 "personal pages" devoted to the Little Master. The truth is that not one in Team India — save pacer S Sreesanth — has an account on Google’s social networking site.

Another instance of cyber mischief lampooning and misrepresenting public figures? Yes. For, while the police are adopting a wait and watch policy, the Indian cricket board says its hands are tied.

Sanjay Mohite, DCP (enforcement), says the police can’t take a suo motu action. "There are infinite number of websites, so it is tough to keep a watch. But in case someone complains, we can definitely track down the person who has done this mischief," he says.

Surprisingly, these fake personal pages of cricket stars have appeared even after objectionable content on Orkut’s "we hate India" community’s message board became the premise of a PIL and defamatory remarks on the site about Chhatrapati Shivaji and Bal Thackeray provoked street protests.

Now, with Orkut becoming controversial, several cyber cafes in Mumbai don’t allow users to access this Google splinter.

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), which hasn’t been able to launch its own website for two years, isn’t aware about the cyber slander directed at their players. Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI chief administrative officer, says he hasn’t heard about these fake pages. "Well, no one can do anything much about these things. It’s something that’s beyond our control," he says.

Though the BCCI chooses to dismiss these fake star profiles as unwanted Internet junk, recently, similar mischief concerning Australian cricketers did raise a stink. Cricket Australia took strong exception to their players being ridiculed on MySpace — an Orkut-like public networking website.

The home page of a fake Shane Watson web page on MySpace showed him in cricket gear minus the flannels with objectionable text strewn all over. Cricket Australia, which dubbed it "a malice", is now closely working with MySpace to curb the trend. Even the Australia Cricketers’ Association condemned the practice and described it as "pathetic exploitation by people who have nothing better to do with their time".

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Eros slashes entry price for DVDs

The home video market is seeing a major price correction. Eros International has slashed its entry price on DVDs, cutting it down from around Rs 150 to Rs 99 to keep in tune with the dynamics of the market.

The revised pricing of Rs 99 for DVDs and Rs 69 for VCDs is on select titles. Moser Baer had earlier shaken up the home video market, making VCDs available at as low as Rs 28 and DVDs at Rs 34.



The reduced prices extend to some of Eros’ old but blockbuster titles including Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Dil Se, 1942 A Love Story, Pinjar, Judwa, Hera Pheri etc and golden hits like Namak Halal, Teesri Manzil, Yaadon Ki Barat, amongst others.


With its new prices announced, Eros hopes to cater to a wider spectrum of home viewing audiences.

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Google launches new services

To expand its reach in the Indian market, Google on Monday launched three services — Google India Labs, Local Search and Business Centre — aimed at providing local information to the users.

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Xbox 360 is cheaper in Europe

Microsoft is cutting the European price for its Xbox 360 games console by 50 euros to 349.99 euros ($470), following a similar cut in the United States.

The company said in a statement on Monday that the lower price would be effective from Aug. 24. It also plans to launch a new model, Xbox 360 Elite, which will ship with a 120 gigabyte hard disk and cost 449.99 euros.

The price of the entry-level model Xbox 360 Core will be cut by 20 euros to 279.99 euros, Microsoft said.

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Games Beat Video Online

When it comes to popular online entertainment, playing games squashes watching videos. At least according to a new report issued by research firm Parks Associates.

More than one third, or 34 percent of users in the U.S. play games on the Internet at least once per week. That number bests the two most hyped online activities of the past few years, as 29 percent of users watch videos on a weekly basis and just 19 percent visit social networking sites that often, found Parks.



Online gaming has soared in popularity over the last year, growing by 79 percent, according to the report, "Casual Gaming Market Update." But, while it lags behind gaming at the moment, Parks found that the number of users who report watching video at least once a week shot up by almost 130 percent over the same period, indicating that video is set to challenge gaming as a favorite Web diversion.

"Despite the growing popularity of YouTube, MySpace and Facebook, gaming remains the king of online entertainment, driven largely by casual gaming activities," said Parks analyst James Kuai.

However, according to much of the research being circulated in the media world, online video would seem to already have a strong claim to the throne in the Web entertainment realm. In fact, according to comScore Media Metrix, nearly three-quarters, or 74 percent of Web users (132 million Americans), watched an average of 158 minutes worth of videos during the month of May. The average user viewed watched more than two video clips per day, said comScore.

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King Khan to cast spell on retail high street

Film star Shahrukh Khan is entering the high-street retail play with some of the biggest global brands in tow. Senior industry sources said that he’s partnering real estate major MGF in its retail arm Aryan Lifestyle, which has just picked up the exclusive franchisee rights for Nike and Tag Heuer.

Aryan Lifestyle is also in talks to pick up the distribution and store rights of Tommy Hilfiger. The move is interesting as an equal JV between the Murjanis and Arvind Mills holds the brand rights for Tommy Hilfiger in India. The brand has banked on a multiple franchisee model to develop exclusive shops till date, but is now keen on speeding up expansion through department stores as well.

Aryan Lifestyle COO Deepak Chabbra confirmed that the company has taken over the franchisee rights for Nike and Tag Heuer but declined to comment on the prospective partnership with Tommy Hilfiger and whether King Khan is a stakeholder in the company. “I cannot comment on future plans.

We will make announcements at the appropriate time.’’ Interestingly, Shahrukh’s 10-year-old son Aryan and the actor have been the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer for almost three years now. The CEO of Tommy Hilfiger in India Shailesh Chaturvedi also declined to comment. “I have no comments to make on this.’’

Sources, however, said that Aryan Lifestyle is also in talks with several brands for similar franchisee arrangements, including international beauty retailer, Sephora. Some industry analysts believe that high-street retail is not directly connected with being a real estate player. Many companies are entering this category as it is a profitable business in its own right. Players need deep pockets but need not necessarily be involved in the real estate business.

Experts, who link retail to real estate, feel that the Shahrukh-MGF combine is a good idea for roping in international brands but may not work for mass affluent brands. “While it’s true that MGF is a mall developer and has access to good locations, it’s still a small player.

It has announced only 11 projects of which six are operational. In this scenario, it may be a good idea to rope in luxury brands which are happy with five to six stores nationally, but I don’t know how a premium label like Tommy Hilfiger, which has the potential to be present in 50-100 exclusive stores, would manage,’’ said a retail expert who did not wish to be quoted.

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