MUMBAI: Asian pay-TV association Casbaa has congratulated Australian police for a dramatic raid on a pirate TV syndicate operating in Australia via high-capacity Internet servers based in China.

The raid on the B&L LED Sign company in Hurstville, in the suburbs of Sydney, signaled the latest stage in a long term campaign to track down the promoters and users of Internet-based networks distributing illegal TV signals in Australia. Based on the cash raked in by the Hurstville operation, police estimated that 150 million Australian Dollars could have been effectively stolen from the legitimate TV distribution industry by multinational criminal gangs.

Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, "This time the primary victim was TVB Australia, and the Hurstville police have done a great job to get this far. And so has TVB Australia, which brought the initial information to them."

TVB, based in Hong Kong, creates and sells Chinese-language TV programming, distributing its programming in Australia through a satellite-based pay-TV service, TVB Australia. The piracy network was stealing and reselling TV signals from TVB as well as a host of other international pay-TV channels, in English as well as Chinese.

Other channels distributed included high-value TV networks such as CNN, ESPN, MTV, Discovery, National Geographic, HBO, Fox and the BBC, alongside a library of Video on Demand shows and movies not yet released on legal DVDs -- all streamed from China directly to the user‘s TV set.

Police said they will file charges that carry heavy fines and potential maximum jail terms of five years. They will also interview homeowners who have received the stolen programming, some of whom may face charges themselves.

Increases in broadband penetration throughout Asia are making it easier for criminals to steal TV programming they do not own, and to re-sell to others. Too often, consumers sign up as accomplices in the theft. "Australia has strong laws to protect copyrighted broadcasts including holding end-users responsible for the consumption of stolen signals" said Davies

Casbaa held up the Hurstville raid as evidence that Australia is committed to enforcing its laws, and that policing there is effective. "We wish that other governments in this region would demonstrate the same commitment as Australia to preventing misuse of the Internet for TV piracy The problem is only going to grow, if other governments don‘t get serious" added Davies.

MUMBAI: Percept?s music festival Sunburn will receive continued support from MTV and Vh1.

Sunburn is a destination for all music lovers and its popularity in India has only grown from strength to strength, supported by MTV and Vh1. Specially with Nikhil Chinappa being the festival director of Sunburn, fans have only the best of music to grove to.

Percept joint MD Shailendra Singh said, "We are glad to be associated with MTV and VH1 once again. They really share our passion and vision for Sunburn. Their support all throughout has been encouraging and has helped us grow the culture of dance music in this country. No one brings the groove like MTV and VH1."

Percept?s concept to bring a musical celebration to one of India?s loved destination of Goa and fusing their partnership with MTV and Vh1 has become a red marked date on the calendar for all music fans.

Vh1 India business head Ferzad Palia explains the association with Sunburn, "It?s great to see the association between Sunburn and Vh1 only strengthening with every year. Vh1, being the sole flag bearer of international music in India has been deeply associated with the festival, right from when it was just a plan on paper many years ago. Therefore to see it grow this well, is even more satisfying. Sure this year too will be spectacular."

MTV India EVP, business head Aditya Swamy said, "MTV has supported Sunburn right from its inception and we are ecstatic to see the festival grow in stature every year. This year we take the festival to over 10 million music fans on MTV with first ever television broadcast of the event. Also what we have in store for fans when they arrive at Sunburn is another surprise all together. So Stay Sunburnt, Stay Raw..."

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has announced that fourth quarter revenues increased by 22 per cent to $4.05 billion.

Adjusted Operating Income grew by 27 per cent o $1.06 billion, reflecting a significant increase in profitability in the film segment and double-digit growth in the media networks segment. Fourth quarter adjusted net earnings increased by 33 per cent to $614 million.

Consolidated revenues for the year increased by 12 per cent to $14.91 billion, with significant contributions from both media networks and film. Full-year adjusted operating income grew by 13 per cent to $3.85 billion, reflecting higher ad and affiliate revenues in Media Networks.

Full-year adjusted net earnings from continuing operations attributable to Viacom rose 22 per cent to $2.25 billion and full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations increased 25 per cent to $3.78. The company also announced an expansion of stock repurchase programme to $10 billion from $4 billion.

Viacom executive chairman Sumner M. Redstone said, "Viacom‘s performance in fiscal 2011 once again illustrates the value of our focused strategy and strong leadership. Viacom‘s powerful brands are enhanced by operational and financial discipline, which continues to drive our results and build value for shareholders."

Viacom president, CEO Philippe Dauman said, "2011 was an outstanding year, highlighted by significant creative milestones, strong topline growth and expanded profitability across every division of Viacom. Creatively we are at the top of our game, powered by unique audience insights and connections, coupled with consistent investment in innovative programming at our marquee media networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET. Paramount Pictures is benefiting from a disciplined franchise-centric approach that has produced an unprecedented number of hits in the domestic and international box office.

In terms of quarterly revenues media networks contributed $2.29 billion in revenues, an eight per cent gain over the same period last year, driven principally by growth in ad and affiliate revenues. Both worldwide and domestic ad revenues rose by seven per cent in the quarter. Worldwide affiliate revenues increased 11 per cent to $883 million, driven largely by rate increases.

Film revenues grew 46 per cent to $1.79 billion, principally due to the strong performance of ?Transformers: Dark of the Moon? in theatrical and home entertainment markets, as well as higher ancillary revenues, due in part to availability of titles for digital distribution.

For the year media networks delivered $814 million of the increase, reflecting a 10 per cent gain in ad revenues to $5 billion and a 12 per cent gain in affiliate fees to $3.52 billion, which more than offset a two per cent decline in ancillary revenues. Domestic advertising revenues rose 10 per cent. Domestic affiliate revenues increased 12 per cent, largely as a result of rate increases, as well as the availability of programming for digital distribution arrangements.

Film revenues increased 15 per cent to $5.92 billion, driven by sharply higher theatrical and ancillary revenues, as well as increased television license fees, which were partially offset by lower home entertainment revenues. The size and strength of the film slate were the primary drivers of a 58 per cent increase in theatrical revenues, while ancillary revenues rose by 48 per cent, principally reflecting the sale of distribution rights and digital revenues.

Quarterly adjusted operating income rise was driven by a 10 per cent increase in the media networks segment and a triple-digit gain in the film segment. Higher results in the media networks stemmed primarily from increases in domestic advertising and affiliate revenue, partially offset by higher programming investments. Film profits were driven by the strong performance of ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon‘.

Full-year adjusted operating income increase was driven by higher adjusted operating income of $467 million in media networks, principally reflecting increased revenues, partially offset by higher expenses. Film adjusted operating income was substantially flat. Adjusted full-year 2011 results exclude the impact of the current year restructuring charges, while the adjusted results for prior year exclude the impact of asset impairment.

Quarterly adjusted net earnings‘ increase reflects higher adjusted operating income and a lower effective tax rate. Full-year adjusted net earnings from continuing operations attributable to Viacom increased 22 per cent to $2.25 billion in 2011, primarily due to the increase in tax-effected adjusted operating income and higher equity income principally from Epix, which generated income this year, compared with a loss in 2010. Full-year 2011 adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations increased $0.76 to $3.78.

Stock Repurchase Programme: For the quarter ended 30 September, 2011 Viacom repurchased 19.7 million shares under its stock repurchase programme for an aggregate purchase price of $900 million. During the year ended 30 September, 2011 Viacom repurchased 55.7 million shares for an aggregate price of $2.5 billion. As of November 9, 2011, Viacom had $7.22 billion remaining in its $10 billion stock repurchase programme.

MUMBAI: Viacom18, the joint venture between Viacom and TV18, has posted a net loss of Rs 284 million for the quarter ended 30 September. This is compared to a net profit of Rs 140 million the company had posted in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

The loss was mainly triggered by a 29.33 per cent jump in the expenses, out of which Viacom18 more than double the spent on marketing and promotions.

Total expenses incurred by Viacom18 were at Rs 3.23 billion, as compared to Rs 2.50 billion in the year ago period. Out of this Rs 1.12 billion were spent on marketing, distribution and promotional expenses, as against Rs 480 million in the year ago. Production expenses remained same at Rs 1.83 billion with rest attributing to staff cost.

Meanwhile, the company saw a 15.85 per cent hike in revenue to Rs 3.15 billion, as against Rs 2.72 billion in the year-ago period. In the first quarter of FY?12, Viacom18 posted revenues of Rs 2.77 billion.

On the operating level, the company?s loss from the quarter stood at Rs 77 million, compared to an operating profit of Rs 220 million. However, from the TV business, the company reported operating profit of Rs 123 million, and the loss is from the film business (The Indian Film Company and Motion Pictures business) to the tune of Rs 200 million.

Viacom18 runs Hindi general entertainment channel Colors, youth entertainment channel MTV, kids channel Nick and English entertainment channel Vh1.

During the current quarter, Viacom18 charged one-time cost towards impairment of film rights amounting to Rs 1.39 billion to reflect the realisable value of the film library held by its subsidiary The Indian Film Company (TIFC). However, this is getting fully indemnified by Network18 Holdings Limited and hence there is no impact on the profit and loss account, the company clarified.

MUMBAI: Percept Sports and Entertainment has appointed Joji George as chief executive officer.

George comes to Percept from the Global Brand Forum, Singapore where he was its executive vice president.

In his new role, George will be responsible for providing strategic direction, creating opportunities for integration and paving the roadmap for the overall businesses of the Percept Sports and Entertainment vertical. His expertise lies in strategic planning and corporate branding, organisational brand alignment, global event management, regional sponsorship, licensing and merchandising.

Commented George on his appointment, "Having worked with leading brands across Asia over the last decade, I am excited about working with India?s leading entertainment conglomerate that transforms brands by offering ?complete brand solutions? for clients, looking to take a leadership position in a competitive marketplace both within India and globally. I want to make Percept Sports and Entertainment the preferred partner for businesses that are looking for creative and memorable brand experiences for its stakeholders and consumers and meet their needs.?

Elaborated Percept Limited joint managing director Shailendra Singh, ?Percept is India?s only conglomerate that provides 360-degree services in the Entertainment, Media and Communications (EMC) industry. Joji brings a wealth of ideas, knowledge and experiences from leading brands across the region and together we shall takePercept Sports & Entertainment to another level."

Previously, George has worked with organisations like Astro (Astro All Asia Networks Plc) ? Malaysia, Yahoo! Asia ? Singapore, MTV Asia LDC ? Singapore and Sony Music Entertainment (India) Ltd among others.

MUMBAI: Janson Media has announced its slate of programming for next month?s television trade event Mipcom 2011, to be held from 3-6 October in Cannes, France.

The company is at Mipcom for the 23rd consecutive year. ?Crossing Borders? is a new feature documentary that follows four Moroccan and four American university students as they travel together through Morocco and, in the process of discovering ?The Other,? discover themselves. Although filmed in an MTV ?Real World?-style, the documentary looks at serious real-world issues, and was produced in anticipation of the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

?The Wereth Eleven? is a riveting new docudrama narrated by Corey Reynolds. It recounts the heroic battle waged by the African American 333rd Field Artillery Battalion against the massed attacking German army at the start of the Battle of the Bulge and the dramatic escape made by 11 men of Battery C. They were soon after captured and massacred at Wereth, Belgium by Hitler?s most ruthless soldiers, the SS.

 
?USS Franklin: Honor Restored? is a documentary which tells the complete story, for the first time, of ?The Ship That Wouldn?t Die,? the aircraft carrier that survived a direct hit by a Japanese armor-piecing bomb just 50 miles off the coast of Japan in March 1945. In an instant the crew?s lives were changed forever and the events that followed would make the story of ?Big Ben? one of the most dramatic and inspiring in naval history. The film is narrated by actor Dale Dye (Saving Private Ryan).

?Harvest Eating with Keith Snow? is a new lifestyle series about food with celebrity chef Keith Snow that is entertaining, inspiring, and informative, featuring engaging interviews, easy-to-follow recipes, on-location segments at local farms and produce markets, and of course, healthy and delicious food.

Meanwhile ?Betsy?s Kindergarten Adventures? is an animation series, told from the perspective of 5-year old Betsy. It is designed to ease a child?s transition from the home setting to a school environment by generating interest and excitement about the kindergarten experience in young viewers.

?Aligned and Well? is a new health and wellness exercise series created by biomechanist, Katy Bowman, which introduces the Biomechanical Model of Preventative Medicine. Based on physics, physiology, anatomy, and engineering, the method explains how many common, expensive ailments are a result of poor motor skills and can be corrected through diligent practice of simple movements.

?Tamara Lackey: Capturing Life Through (Better) Photography? is a lifestyle series combining nearly a decade of superstar photographer Tamara Lackey?s behind-the-camera knowledge and experience with her fresh and playful approach to capturing the emotion and authenticity of real moments in photographs.

Janson Media?s current affairs documentary, Split Estate, airing in the US on the Sundance Channel, takes on the environmental issue of ?fracking? (hydraulic fracturing), as citizens in the path of a natural gas drilling boom in the US struggle against the erosion of their civil liberties, their communities and their health.

Janson Media will also bring new seasons to the market of Quilting Arts TV, Knitting Daily TV, Hands on Crafts for Kids, the jewelry-making series Beads, Baubles and Jewels, a series for scrapbooking enthusiasts, Scrapbook Memories and the popular baking and cake-decorating series, Bake Decorate Celebrate!