MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • MAX FILM CLUB starts from December 31, every Saturday night after the 8pm movie

    MAX introduces new film slot for movie buffs!

    By A Correspondent

     

    MAX, the premium Hindi movies and special events channel, is all set to bring its viewers the best of entertainment with a special movie slot titled ‘MAX Film Club’, every Saturday night after the 8pm Maha Movie.

     

    MAX Film Club’s Saturday night offering will offer a wide range of critically acclaimed titles like Aandhi, Ijaazat, Firaaq, Bazaar, Mere Apne and evergreen hits like Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Teesri Manzil, Aradhana, Kabhi Kabhie, Anand, Gol Maal and many more.

     

    Talking about MAX Film Club, Neeraj Vyas, EVP & Business Head – MAX said: “At MAX it is our constant endeavor to bring novel ways to entertain our audience. Our latest offering, MAX Film Club, is an effort to connect with the film connoisseurs, audiences who genuinely enjoy the iconic movies from across the eras. We believe there is an audience for this kind of cinema and we want to keep them glued to their seats on Saturday nights.”

     

    He added: “MAX Film Club is also a step to enhance our recently launched weekend campaign “Saare hafte lagey raho… weekend pe padey raho” by creating a complete entertainment package over the weekend.”

     

    MAX, India’s No. 1 Hindi Movie channel, provides its viewers with the biggest and best of Hindi movies and special events.

  • US-based Walt Disney will launch an offer for delisting shares of media and entertainment firm, UTV Software Communications, from Indian bourses on January 16, 2012.

    Disney to launch delisting offer for UTV Software on Jan 16

    By A Correspondent

     

    US-based Walt Disney will launch an offer for delisting shares of media and entertainment firm, UTV Software Communications, from Indian bourses on January 16, 2012.

     

    Walt Disney plans to delist about 1.22 crore shares, representing 29.96 per cent of UTV Software’s equity, and the offer price for the shareholders has been fixed between Rs835.03-1,000 a share, Walt Disney stated in an advertisement published on Wednesday.

     

    The offer opens on January 16 and will close on January 20. Walt Disney currently holds an over 50 per cent stake in UTV Software.

     

    In July this year, Walt Disney Co. had offered to buy out stakes held by public shareholders and other promoters of the company. The proposal, expected to result in FDI inflows of about Rs8,250 crore, has also been approved by the government.

     

    Post-delisting, Walt Disney is likely to hold an 80.25 per cent stake in the company, if it successfully acquires the shares of all public stakeholders, while the remaining equity would be held by RS Group.

     

    However, assuming that Disney acquires the shares of UTV Software’s other promoter as well, pursuant to a share-purchase agreement, Disney will secure a 100 per cent stake in the company.

     

  • Users can now access local information on the go with the app on Nokia smartphones

    timesPoynt now preloaded on Nokia Lumia 710 and Nokia 800

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nokia smartphone users inIndiacan now enjoy a world of convenience and information at their fingertips with the launch of Nokia’s latest smartphones, the Nokia Lumia 710 and Nokia Lumia 800, which come preloaded with the timesPoynt application.

     

    The new app, timesPoynt, has been developed in partnership with Times Internet Limited (TIL) -India’s leading mobile and internet venture, and Poynt Corporation, a leading provider of mobile local search and advertising services.

     

    The free application powered by data from Timescity.com, allows users to click-to-call businesses, get directions, browse listing websites, send details to a friend or add listings to their device calendar or address book. The Nokia smart phones preloaded with the timesPoynt app enter the market just two months after the application was launched earlier this year.

     

    The Nokia preload marks timesPoynt’s second distribution agreement with a handset manufacturer inIndia. The app is already available in India on iPhone and Android devices, along with BlackBerry smartphones.

     

    “Preburning timesPoynt on Nokia Smartphones augments our reach in the savvy-mobile audiences. With this, we hope to see significant uptakes in our search queries and consequently more contextual and location-based advertising”, says Rishi Khiani, CEO, Times Internet Limited (TIL).

     

    “We have seen tremendous uptake and retention with each preload we have launched and we anticipate that the Indian market will be no different,” said Marco Hunstad, SVP, Business Development & Global Distribution, Poynt Corporation.

     

    As part of its initial plans, the partnership between TIL and Poynt Corp will leverage TIL’s relationships in Indiawith advertisers, agencies and merchants in order to monetize the app. It plans to market and promote timesPoynt through all its media vehicles such as radio, television, magazines and newsprint.

     

    OEM or original equipment manufacturers’ preloads are key to targeting more than 858 million mobile subscribers inIndia(TRAI estimates). They allow users of specific devices, such as the Nokia Lumia 710 and Nokia Lumia 800, to discover the best apps for their device, with the least time spent searching.

  • This Christmas get ready to witness an action packed line up of films from 25th December to 1st January at 8.45pm everyday

    UTV Action showcases mighty action heroes in ‘Christmas Brave Hearts’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ushering in the festive season, the all new UTV Action is set to give viewers a power-packed experience. In line with its new tagline – Home of the Warriors, UTV Action presents a special line up of blockbusters featuring iconic action heroes in Christmas Brave Hearts starting from December 25 till January 1 at 8.45 pm every night.

     

    The high octane line up of films starts with the 2010 thriller The Tourist and includes gripping films like The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Terminator Salvation, Legion and many more. Christmas Brave Hearts will also feature new titles like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Twilight which will be showcased for the very first time on the channel.

     

    Christmas Brave Hearts will be supported by an on air and outdoor campaign comprising of hoardings and ambient branding in multiplexes. Commenting on the festival, Sameer Ganapathy, Business Head, UTV Action said: “The refreshed UTV Action takes pride in giving viewers access to the best of Hollywood action. Christmas Brave Hearts is specially designed to bring the biggest action heroes to the viewers and will showcase several new titles for the first time on the channel.”

     

    UTV Action was launched in January, 2010 and showcases the best of Hollywood in Hindi and provides viewers the one stop destination to enjoy the best of action content starring the world’s biggest heroes.

     

     

     

  • The crowds waiting for a chance to audition proved the show's popularity

    Dance India Dance 3 premieres on December 24 at 8.30 pm

    By A Correspondent

     

    The serpentine queue that had gathered outside the audition venue was evidence enough to prove how eagerly the youth ofDelhiand entire Northern regions ofIndiawere waiting forIndia’s No 1 dance reality show, Dance India Dance to return.

     

    The masters, Geeta Kapoor, Terence Lewis and Remo D Souza,  recognized every contestant’s dedication and passion to win the ‘Taqdeer ka Topi’. What touched the masters was not how they performed, but their sincerity towards dance as an art form.

     

    A nondescript Furkhan hailing from a family of autorickshawallahs mesmerised the judges with his excellent robotics act. Physically-challenged Sunny Kumar brought tears to the eyes of the Masters. Remo DSouza’s duplicates – Vinod Kumar and Afsar Ansari – kept everyone in splits.

     

    Another NRI contestant, Anastasia, born and brought up inBelarus, a landlocked country inEastern Europegot hooked on to the show by watching Dance India Dance episodes on the internet. The turning point in her life came when she met her Indian parents who adopted her and she decided to settle inIndia. She also changed her name to Mansi and started taking lessons from a renowned Kathak exponent inDelhi. She was already adept at contemporary dance style and picked up the traditional Indian dance form quickly.

     

    On getting an opportunity to audition inDelhi, she was overwhelmed with emotions after performing in front of Remo, Geeta and Terence.

     

    The highlight of the auditions was Raghav Juyal who takes pride in calling himself ‘Crockroach’, explaining “I like the power of a crocodile and the creepiness of a coackroach!” His popping act was one that has never been seen on television before!

     

    To watch their journey, tune into Dance India Dance Season 3, premiering this Saturday, December 24,  at 8:30pm on Zee TV.

     

  • Will now handle the media sales function for KBS World, the international TV channel from South Korea

    Aidem Ventures to handle advertising sales for KBS World (South Korea)

    By A Correspondent

     

    Aidem Ventures,India’s leading independent media consulting, marketing and advertising sales company, will now handle the media sales function for KBS World, the international TV channel fromSouth Korea.  The channel is being distributed and broadcast via pay TV operators around the world, including Reliance Big TV inIndia.

     

    Announcing the appointment, Tae-Ho Sung, Senior Manager, Channel & Content Business – KBS said: “KBS is very happy to sign a deal with Aidem Ventures for media sales of the KBS World channel inIndia. In the years to come, we will be steadily developing the local advertising business into a significant revenue source by jointly teaming up with Aidem Ventures and Coast Road Media.”

     

    KBS World was represented in this transaction by Stuart Tenzer of Coast Road Media LLC. Neena Dasgupta, Head – International and Digital Businesses, Aidem Ventures said in a statement: “We are pleased to include KBS World in our steadily increasing bouquet of international offerings. The presence of KBS World shall further enhance our sales bouquet to advertisers and agencies. Besides, the association will also help KBS effectively leverage our robust media sales revenue management, broad base of relationships and our extensive domain knowledge and expertise, thus making it a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

     

    The India-South Korea relationship has grown in almost all dimensions – political, cultural and economic. With the establishment of the Free Trade Agreement between the two counties, Korean companies such as LG, Hyundai and Samsung have established manufacturing and service facilities inIndia, and several Korean construction companies are involved in the many infrastructural building plans inIndia, such as the National Highways Development Project. This has resulted in the development of a small but significant community of Korean professionals and their families’ who now work and live inIndia.

     

    As both countries have identified a convergence of interests, the seeping in of South Korean media into our country is bound to strengthen the foundation for deeper cultural ties.

     

    KBS World forms a part ofSouth Korea’s broadcasting major Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). KBS World’s programming mix comprises of the best of dramas, documentaries and entertainment programs. The channel enjoys a leader’s position in terms of prime time news with an average 20% rating or higher while the total network achieves around 60% rating. Annually, the company produces 19,000 hours of content, including mainly drama, but also documentaries, music programs, animation for kids, reality and entertainment formats, which distributes worldwide.

  • He has been brought in to identify and build strategic relationships in the marketing and recruitment ecosystems

    LinkedIn India appoints Hetal Sonpal as Director, Strategic Sales

    By A Correspondent

     

    LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com, the world’s largest professional network with more than 135 million members worldwide and over 12 million members in India, on Tuesday announced the appointment of Hetal Sonpal, http://in.linkedin.com/in/hetalsonpal, as Director, Strategic Sales for India.

     

    With over 13 years of experience scaling world-class sales organizations, Mr Sonpal will work closely with LinkedIn Marketing Solutions and LinkedIn Hiring Solutions. He will be focused on building and strengthening relationships with key clients and oversee the execution of strategic deals to help accelerate the growth of LinkedIn in India.

     

    “Having had operations in Indiafor over two years now, LinkedIn has emerged as a platform of choice for recruiters and brands seeking to engage with an influential and highly educated audience. We have built a strong business across India with high quality sales and marketing professionals and Hetal’s addition to the leadership team will add value to our operations. It reinforces our commitment to our customers in Indiaas we seek to build strong long-term relationships with our partners across the country,” said Hari V Krishnan, http://in.linkedin.com/in/harivk, Country Manager, LinkedIn India.

     

    Based in New Delhi, Mr Sonpal joins LinkedIn from Microsoft Corporation where he served as Lead, Telecom Alliances. Prior to that he worked with Wipro for more than 11 years and rose to leadership positions including Regional Sales Head for North India. During his tenure with Wipro, he also led Wipro’s Sales team in Japanfor over seven years and was instrumental in growing Wipro’s business with some of the largest technology and consumer electronics customers in Japan, including Toshiba, Cannon, Ricoh and Clarion.

     

    LinkedIn India is headquartered in Mumbai with offices in New Delhi and Bangalore.

  • India’s most prestigious food platform honours the finest in the culinary world, Delhi NCR voted as the 'Best Foodie City' of the country

    NDTV Good Times Food Awards celebrate the best in the food industry

    By A Correspondent

     

    NDTV Good Times,India’s first premium lifestyle channel, hosted the second edition of the NDTV Good Times Food Awards at The Westin, Gurgaon on Saturday. The channel honoured top restaurants, restaurateurs and chefs from across the nation in a gala awards ceremony. The venue resonated with the presence of celebrated faces, food enthusiasts, restaurant owners, chefs and other noted guests.

     

    Within a year the NDTV Good Times Food Awards have become the definitive standard to the best in the industry. With an unmatched expert panel that is unbiased and uncompromising when it comes to food, the awards have become the last word in the food and beverage space.

     

    Among the many highlights of the event, was a Sufi jugalbandi by The Mekaal Hasan Band and Harshdeep Kaur. The Highway on My Plate duo, Rocky & Mayur kept the audience in splits with their humour and charm.

     

    An addition to this year’s award categories was the Viewer’s Choice Award. This was a single award category where the viewers got an opportunity to decide theBestFoodieCitythrough their votes and Delhi NCR was unanimously selected by the viewers.

     

    The winners were selected by a highly qualified jury comprising of NDTV award winning anchor Vinod Dua, celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia, food critic Marut Sikka, popular anchor and chef Aditya Bal, restaurateur and chef Vicky Ratnani and Highway Stars Rocky & Mayur.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Smeeta Chakrabarti, CEO, NDTV Lifestyle said: “We are delighted with the overwhelming response to the second edition of NDTV Good Times Food Awards. We are happy to see not only the industry, but also viewers from across the country voted for their favourite nominees. I would like to congratulate all the winners on behalf of the entire team of NDTV Good Times.”

     

    The list of NDTV Good Times Food Awards winners:

    Best North Indian Restaurant: Karim’s Hotel, Old Delhi

    Best Coastal Indian Restaurant: Gajalee, Mumbai

    Best Regional Restaurant: Ponuswamy, Chennai

    Best Asian Restaurant: Bomra’s,Goa

    Best Dessert & Coffee Menu: L’Opera,New Delhi

    Best Bar: The Blue Fog, Mumbai

    Best European Restaurant: Indigo, Mumbai

    Most Sensational Debut: Smoke House Room,New Delhi

    All time favourite Restaurant: Flury’s, Kolkata

    Best Dhaba: Fadtare Misal Pao,Kolhapur

    BestFoodieCity:DelhiNCR

  • The channel has grown by almost 15% since the previous week to consolidate its No.1 status

    Channel [V] No.1 for 6 weeks

    By A Correspondent

     

    Channel [V], the youth entertainment channel from the Star Network, has maintained its leadership in the youth entertainment genre for six consecutive weeks.

     

    With an alltime high of 37 GRPs for week 50, Channel [V] has left its nearest competitors far behind. The channel has grown by almost 15 percent since the previous week to consolidate its No.1 status, while MTV & Bindass are 25 percent behind in GRPs.

     

    Prem Kamath, Executive VP and GM, Channel [V], said, “Our performance over the last quarter clearly shows the depth of our understanding of this genre and our audience. All our properties, whether on-air or otherwise, are planned keeping in mind our researched understanding of youth.”

     

    With a healthy reach of 33 percent and a time spent of 34 minutes being almost 50 percent higher than MTV, the genre is overwhelmed with shows from [V]. The ratings reveal that 17 out of the Top 20 shows are from Channel [V].

     

    The youth & music genre has garnered a market share of 7.6 percent with 251 GRPs (up from 248 GRPs last week). Total TV was at 3308 GRPs (0.5% growth from 3291 GRPs last week). Channel [V] is leading in the CS4+, CS 15-34 or CS 10-14 groups.

     

    *Source: TAM Wk50, HSM CS 15-24 ABC, HSM Markets, Weekly GRPs

  • CNN-IBN is all set to host Indian of the Year 2011 in New Delhi on December 16, 2011. The award recognizes and honours those Indians whose endeavours have set an example and done the country proud.

    CNN-IBN’s Indian of the Year on Friday

    By Akash Raha

     

    CNN-IBN is all set to host Indian of the Year 2011 in New Delhi on December 16, 2011. In its sixth edition, this initiative will celebrate and honour famous personalities from various walks of life. The chief guest at this occasion will be Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar.

     

    Speaking about the event, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN-Lokmat, said, “CNN-IBN Indian of the Year awards have created a benchmark of excellence in choosing the most influential and deserving winners. The immense success of the award in the past has raised the bar for this initiative and we are looking forward to a great show this year as well.”

     

    These iconic Indians will be chosen from five different categories – Politics, Sports, Business, Entertainment and Public Service. The awards are chosen by a four-tier selection process which includes nominations from the Network18 editorial board, ratification by the jury, and voting by the electoral college and Indian citizens.

     

    The CNN-IBN Indian of the Year winners in the past have been:

    2010 – Nitish Kumar

    2009 – A R Rahman

    2008 – G Madhavan Nair & Team Chandrayaan

    2007 – E Sreedharan

    2006 – Dr Manmohan Singh

  • A Poem Is… is a short-form animated series showcasing poems for children set to scenes and imagery from classic Disney films and Tasty Time with ZeFronk will encourage kids to cook and have lots of fun along the way

    Disney Junior launches animated series for holidays

    By A Correspondent

     

    Disney Junior, the learning-focused block for kids aged 2-7 on Disney Channel, will usher in the holiday season beginning December 19 with the launch of two brand new short-form series – A Poem Is… and Tasty Time with Chef ZeFronk. These shorts will play out multiple times daily on Disney Channel.

     

    Arnab Chaudhuri, executive director content and creative, Walt Disney Television International India, said, “The launch of these new series further demonstrates Disney Junior’s dedication to programming that highlights the importance of great, heartfelt storytelling with learning components. Both A poem is… and Tasty Time with ZeFronk are wonderful additions to the already robust offerings from Disney Junior and showcase how Disney’s content strives to entertain and inspire learning while embracing positive values.”

     

    A Poem Is… is a short-form animated series showcasing poems for children set to scenes and imagery from classic Disney films including Dumbo, Bambi and Lady and the Tramp. Narrated by award winning actress and poetry enthusiast Shabana Azmi in Hindi, and well-known actor-director Suhasini Ratnam in Tamil and Telugu, the series is designed to bring back fond memories of Disney classics for parents and cultivate new ones for kids by introducing the young children to the beauty of poems. Featured poems include works by Robert Louis Stevenson, John Howard Payne, A.A. Milne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, among others.

     

    One of the versatile personalities of the Tamil film industry, Suhasini Ratnam said, “Children these days learn poetry only to score marks in school. This series is about making poetry interesting for them and it’s only right that somebody fond of the language does it.”

     

    Award winning actress and poetry enthusiast Shabana Azmi said, “Children typically respond well to reading and writing poetry, as it fuels their imagination and creativity and allows them to express themselves. Some of the poems are going to be sentimental and sweet, the kind that will warm a mom’s heart, and some of them will be silly and funny to make kids giggle and laugh.”

     

    Disney Junior will also feature a series of five-minute long shorts, Tasty Time with ZeFronk, encouraging kids to cook with their families and have lots of fun along the way. Well-known comic actor Omi Vaidya will lend his voice to chef ZeFronk who will host the fun-filled cooking show from his doghouse with his assistant, a songbird named Sue.

     

    Chef ZeFronk’s voice Omi Vaidya said, “Being an ardent fan of the channel since childhood, it feels great to voice a Disney show. The highlight of the show is that it involves a lot of fun and learning at the same time.”

     

    In addition to the fun-filled shows on TV, Disney Junior will soon be available as a special magazine with tons of activities and stories. This is in addition to a series of DVDs featuring select Disney Junior shows already available at retail. Parents and caregivers can also access loads of games and on-line activities of Disney Junior content online through a dedicated section on www.disney.in.

     

  • Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are hot contenders for the spot for the BIG Star Entertainment Awards

    Kat and Bebo in race for the Best Actress in romantic role

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kareena Kapoor, popularly known as Bebo, has always been the dream co-star of many a successful hero, especially the three Khans – Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan. The three Khans have delivered smashing box office hits with the reigning queen with her co stars.

     

    But Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan’s close friend and confidant, is slowly emerging as the darling of the masses. Both girls are absolutely brilliant on and off screen too.

     

    Kareena has given powerful performances, be it Jab We Met, 3 Idiots or Ra One. Kat isn’t lagging behind, after wowing audience with Rajneeti, Tees Maar Khan, and My Brother Ki Dulhan.

     

    Now Bebo and Kat are hot favourites contenders for Best Actress in Romantic Role for the BIG Star Entertainment Awards.