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  • NDS hires India operations chief

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jul 11
    News Headline

    News Corp company, NDS Group, a provider of conditional access systems and interactive applications for digital TV, has hired former Star India internet operations CEO, Lalit Ahuja, as Managing Director NDS India, to head up its new research and development center based in Bangalore.
    Ahuja has more than 20 years of engineering software and commercial experience and his charge will be focusing on developing interactive TV applications and broadband technologies in conjunction with NDS R & D centers in Israel, China and the UK. He will also have to develop the India operations as a global hub for NDS R&D. In addition he will also develop markets for NDS‘s interactive applications, working closely with NDS sales and marketing executives to develop and implement the strategic business initiatives for expanding regional markets.

    Ahuja will report to Dr Jasjit Saini, Vice President, Consumer Devices, NDS Group plc. Says Saini: "As NDS continues to drive the development and adoption of interactive television across the world it is critical that it maintains its lead in the field of R & D. Lalit Ahuja‘s tremendous experience in software development and his extensive business acumen makes him an ideal executive to help us maintain this lead."

    Ahuja has worked as Country Head (India), president and managing director of LG Soft India. Prior to that he was with software firm Datamatics. He started his career in the Indian Navy retiring as a Lieutenant Commander.

  • NDS hires India operations chief

    Jul 11

    News Corp company, NDS Group, a provider of conditional access systems and interactive applications for digital TV, h

  • DD launches portal, albeit a little late

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jul 11
    News Headline

    National pubcaster Doordarshan finally launched its online portal yesterday in Delhi after nearly six months of dilly-dallying about the launch date. A joint initiative between DD and Satyam Infoway, http://www.ddinews.com contains national and international news, which is updated round-the-clock.

    Earlier the web portal was scheduled to be launched in beginning of year 2001, a plan which was postponed due to the torrid times in the dot com world.

    http://www.ddinews.com, at launch, is not fully functional. Nor is it very different from other horizontal portals. A surf through the site revealed that at least four five links either led to a dead end, or led to the same page from which a click through was being attempted on a link. For example, the link leading to information about Doordarshan, did not open at all. While trying to access the convergence section, clicking on a link still lead to national and international news. The video on demand service did not seem to be fully operational, and DD officials have mentioned that the launch date for it is sometime away. Even the TV Guide was not working when http://www.indiantelevision.com journos tried to access it. It appears as though DD and Sify officials were pushed into launching it prematurely. What the pressures were they only know.

    However, despite that the site appears to be well-designed. The index page has a marquee (a scroll) just below the logo running the latest news across the page. Click on the marquee and a specific news item will open up in detail.

    The DD‘s foray into the web came on the heels of the recommendations of the Shunu Sen Committee report which advised that DD needed to get into the latest technology without any further delay.

    About Rs 25 million has been invested into building up the site. Doordarshan also has other plans to launch similar websites for Doordarshan Sports and DD World channels.

  • DD launches portal, albeit a little late

    Jul 11

    National pubcaster Doordarshan finally launched its online portal yesterday in Delhi after nearly six months of dilly

  • Sun TV

    The new Sun TV Ad rate card indicates there has been no cut in ad rates

    Jul 11

    The new Sun TV Ad rate card indicates there has been no cut in ad rates.

  • Zee TV readies to do battle with Star; and it is
    better armed now

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jul 10
    News Headline

    "My goal is to take Zee TV back to the No 1 spot and not just during prime time, but throughout the day. We will achieve this before year end"

    Sandeep Goyal
    Broadcasting Group CEO
    Zee Telefims

    War is about to erupt on the small screen. Close on the heels of Star India announcing a clutch of new shows, the Zee Network has said that it is revamping its programming line-up. The intention: to win back its rightful place in the channel sweepstakes and to help Zee TV connect with the consumer.

    "Zee has always been a leader, then we meandered for sometime, now we are working around to regain that position," expresses Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting CEO, Zee Telefilms. "The Indian housewife would tune into to Zee for it storytelling skills, and now that‘s what we want to get back."

    "When Zee TV started out it came as a breath of fresh air, as an alternative to Doordarshan. Somewhere along the way it lost its focus, now we are bringing that back into the picture," adds marketing head Partha Sinha. "We want to give back to Zee TV its brand personality as a youthful channel, vivacious, yet very deeply rooted in traditional Indian values."

    The new Zee drive is evident in the clutch of new programmes it has announced and the increased marketing spend being put behind them. Among the programmes which are expected to air: Sudha Murty‘s Dollar Bahu, Sansar a new family soap shot in five continents, (produced by Tracinema), a musical soap Diwane to Diwane Hain (Tracinema), Sarhadein, Koi Apna Sa (Balaji Telefilms), Hip Hip Hooray (a new series of the old show produced by UTV), Choti Maa (a north Indian version of the southern success Chiththi produced by Radaan Entertainment & UTV), and Shree 420 based on real crime stories. Other programmes on the anvil include Zee Nostalgia, Zee Gym, and Ardhangini. While Zee Nostalgia, a one hour daily block, will showcase the best of Zee‘s programmes like Hasaratein and Sailaab, Zee Gym will focus on fitness and Ardhangini is based on the lives and careers of successful women.

    Sinha is excited about the interactive television show Aap Jo bole Haan to Haan, Aap Jo Bole Naa to Naa. "We believe this will be our driver," he says. "It has drama, emotion and is gripping with alternative endings. Viewers will call up our call centres and we will constantly monitor the calls. Based on the response and final count we will air the requisite ending from our uplinking centre in Singapore."

    According to Goyal, there has been no real hike in programming costs. "Some shows have been retired, new ones have replaced them," says Goyal. "In the new shows, the creative product is very strong."

    He reveals that the new line up will make its debut by the third week of August. "By the time the festival season comes, some of them will have emerged as winners," he adds.

    He points out that the network is already at an advanced stage of preselling all its advertising inventory. "There is a lot of excitement amongst media buyers and planners about our new shows."

    According to Sinha, no stone will be left unturned while promoting the new lineup. "Outdoors, print, radio, the internet, cross promotion on our TV channels - we will resort to everything to ensure that the shows get top of mind awareness with viewers."

    Goyal highlights the fact that Zee TV is keen to strengthen its programming department. "We will be strengthening the programming team and take it up to 18 very soon," he says.

    "When I came in, I said I would restage the channel in 100 days, a deadline which I will meet," he exclaims. "My goal is to take Zee TV back to the No 1 spot and not just during prime time, but throughout the day. We will achieve this before year end."

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