MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp has reported $9.54 billion of total revenue for the third quarter ended 31 March, 2013. This was a $1.14 billion or a 14 per cent increase over the $8.40 billion of revenue reported in the prior year quarter.

Approximately 55 per cent of the revenue increase reflects growth at the cable network programming, film and television segments, partially offset by lower revenues at the publishing segment. The balance of the growth primarily relates to the inclusion of Sky Deutschland and Fox Sports Australia revenues.

The company reported third quarter total segment operating income of $1.36 billion, as compared to $1.31 billion reported a year ago. The improvement was led by operating income growth at the company?s Cable Network Programming, Film and Television segments. The third quarter results included $42 million of costs related to the ongoing investigations initiated upon the closure of The News of the World as compared to $63 million in the corresponding period of the prior year. This year?s third quarter results also included $25 million of costs related to the proposed separation of the company?s entertainment and publishing businesses. Excluding these costs from both years, third quarter adjusted total segment operating income of $1.43 billion increased $54 million or four per cent from $1.38 billion reported in the third quarter of the prior year.

The company reported quarterly net income attributable to stockholders of $2.85 billion, as compared to $937 million reported in the corresponding period of the prior year. This quarter?s pre-tax results included $2.43 billion of income in Other, net, principally related to gains on the acquisition of an additional ownership stake in Sky Deutschland and the sale of the ownership stake in Sky Network Television in New Zealand, as well as a $11 million gain from the company?s participation in BSkyB?s share repurchase program, which is reflected in the equity earnings of affiliates.

These gains were partially offset by $56 million of restructuring charges, primarily related to the company?s international newspaper businesses. Excluding the net income effects of these items, the costs related to the investigations in the UK and the proposed separation of the company?s entertainment and publishing businesses, along with comparable items in both years, third quarter adjusted earnings per share was $0.36 versus the adjusted prior year quarter result of $0.37.

News Corp chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, "In our fiscal third quarter News Corp achieved organic growth across our cable, film and television segments and through the consolidation of Sky Deutschland and sale of stakes in Sky New Zealand and Phoenix Satellite Television, we advanced our strategic agenda to simplify our global portfolio."

"We also announced our plans to broaden our core cable business with the unveiling of our national sports channel Fox Sports 1 and our third branded FX channel, FXX. Both initiatives underscore our strategy of maximising existing assets and leadership positions to drive sustainable growth and long-term value," he added.

"We are on target to complete the proposed separation of our businesses near the end of our fiscal year. As we prepare to launch two new industry leaders with new News Corporation and 21st Century Fox, I am more confident than ever of the long-term value the separation will unlock for the company and its shareholders," Murdoch concluded.

The quarter included $42 million and $63 million, respectively, of costs related to the ongoing investigations in the UK. The three months ended 31 March, 2013 include $25 million of costs related to the proposed separation of the company?s entertainment and publishing businesses. Excluding these charges, adjusted total segment operating income is $1,429 and $1,375 million in the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

The nine months include $165 million and $167 million, respectively, of costs related to the ongoing investigations in the U.K. The nine months ended 31 March, 2013 include $53 million of costs related to the proposed separation of the company?s entertainment and publishing businesses. Excluding these charges, adjusted total segment operating income is $4.5 and $4.3 billion in the nine months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Cable Network Programming reported quarterly segment operating income of $993 million, a $147 million or 17 per cent increase over the prior year quarter, driven by a 17 per cent increase in revenue. Operating income contributions from the domestic channels increased by 16 per cent. Revenue growth across all domestic channels, led by strong growth at the company?s regional sports networks and FX Networks, was partially offset by increased programming and marketing costs at the company?s FX Networks and National Geographic Channels.

The company?s international cable channels? quarterly earnings contributions increased by 21 per cent from the same period a year ago, reflecting strong operating profit growth at the Fox International Channels (Fic), partially offset by the adverse impact of the strengthened US dollar.

Affiliate revenue grew by 11 per cent and 42 per cent at the domestic and international cable channels, respectively. Domestic network growth reflects higher rates across all networks, led by growth at the RSNs, Fox News Channel and FX Networks. Approximately 60 per cent of the international affiliate revenue increase reflects strong local currency growth at the non-sports channels at Fic and Star. The balance of the growth was attributable to the new sports channels, including Fox Star Sports Asia and Eredivisie Media and Marketing (EMM), partially offset by the impact of the strengthened US dollar.

Ad revenue at the domestic cable channels grew by two per cent in the quarter over the prior year period driven by double-digit growth at the FX Networks and National Geographic Channels, partially offset by lower advertising revenues at the Fox News Channel, due to the absence of the presidential primaries which occurred in the prior year, and at the RSNs, due to the broadcast of fewer National Basketball Association (NBA) games.

Nearly two-thirds of the international cable channels? 30 per cent ad revenue improvement reflects strong local currency growth at the non-sports channels at FIC and Star. The balance of the growth was attributable to the new sports channels, including Fox Star Sports Asia and EMM networks, partially offset by the impact of the strengthened US dollar.

Expenses at Cable Network Programming grew by 17 per cent in the quarter over the corresponding period in the prior year. More than two-thirds of this increase was attributable to the new international sports networks at FIC and Star, including the investment in BCCI cricket rights in India. The balance of the increase was due to higher programming and marketing costs at the FX Networks and National Geographic Channels, partially offset by reduced NBA rights costs at the RSNs resulting from the broadcast of fewer games.

Mumbai: A parliamentary committee?s recommendation to bring the news industry - both print and TV - under a media council to clamp down on the beast called ?paid news? has got the news TV industry?s goose.

The committee also recommended that the Press Council of India should be revamped to keep a close tab on print media?s love for paid news. In case, this is done, it is imperative that another statutory body be set up to monitor electronic media.

The committee had insinuated that this was necessary as industry?s self regulation mechanism had failed to check the menace of paid news.

The News Broadcasters? Association (NBA) is quite clear that such high handed measures are not needed. Says NBA president & NDTV group CEO Narayan Rao: "With all due respect to the parliamentary committee, I beg to differ. I believe self-regulation is the best way forward. The late Justice Verma?s committee has done a fabulous job in this respect. The mechanism of self regulation has been working well over the years."

Seconding Rao is IBN7 editor-in-chief Ashutosh, with a caveat. Says he: "Self regulation should be encouraged and should be extended to the areas of regional journalism as well."

Rao highlights that paid news is a beast that can be tamed and there are mechanisms within the NBA to keep it in check. "There is an advisory on our website and we have a code of ethics for the broadcasting industry. If there is any instance of paid news, we take very strict action against it."

The parliamentary committee has recommended that media owners or other interested parties should not be a part of the proposed media council.

Ashutosh believes that this could prove to be quite unhealthy for the fourth estate. "Any form of regulation which is funded and undertaken by the government specially in the political system of India, is dangerous for a democracy," he says.

"The Indian constitution and the judiciary guarantee the press its freedom to speech and expression. Any step which curbs this is totally counter-productive and undemocratic," adds a pretty agitated BAG Network chairperson and MD Anuradha Prasad.

Rao says rather than harping on paid news, the focus of the entire news broadcasting ecosystem - including the government - should be on reworking its flawed business model. "There is a high dependence on ad revenue which promotes the menace of paid news. The faulty rating system, the TRP rat race and the lack of subscription revenues are the areas that we should focus on."

MUMBAI: MultiScreenMedia (MSM), which got the exclusive rights for four years with the National basketball Association (NBA) last year, intends to take the relationship to the next level by building the NBA brand and getting fans closer to the game Earlier this year, the rights had been shared with Zee.

MSM CEO Man Jit Singh says, ?the aim for the year is to grow the reach, viewership and time spent on the NBA and build it as a platform. When we did the deal last year we realised that for focused marketing and cross promotional activities it is better to have one platform. We are looking at on-air content as well as on the ground grassroots initiatives. On-air we will go beyond just showing live games.

"We are looking at showcasing the NBA lifestyle through special content like player profiles. The NBA fits in very well with our strategy of showcasing sports and entertainment. The TG is 14-35 in the Metros and tier one and two cities. Other properties are coming up in this space and we will evaluate these opportunities?

While specifying no plans, he did not rule out having an NBA feed in Hindi. On the ground MSM will do grassroots initiatives with the NBA. ?This will allow us to offer cross promotional opportunities to sponsors. Later this year we and the NBA will do a three-on-three competition across the country. The activity will spread across India and will run for around three months. Winners will get a chance to play against members of an NBA team. This event will be packaged and shown on Six. The appeal of basketball is that it is fast paced. Also, doing grassroots events is not difficult as the infrastructure requirements are not huge unlike other sports like soccer.?

Today NBA and MSM announced a tie-up with the NGO Magic Bus to launch an NBA Cares programme in the country. Weekly basketball programmes will be used to promote education, health and fitness for boys and girls ages 7 to 14. The initiative kicks off in June.

?The NBA is a brand that I admire as they also give back to the community. At MultiScreenMedia we are committed to Magic Bus as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. This will bring the sport to underprivileged children. It will help children compete in a new sport, become active and improve their health? added Singh.
 
NBA Commissioner David Stern is visiting the country for the first time. He noted that while China is the largest market for the NBA outside the US, the expectation is that India will catch up in a shorter period of time. ?India has a large youth population. They will want to consume other sports besides cricket. Globally year on year we have been seeing double digit revenue growth?.

Referring to the tie-up with Magic Bus, he noted that social responsibility was a part of the league?s mission. ?We are proud to work with our partners at Magic Bus and MultiScreenMedia to promote the values inherent in our game ? dedication, discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship and the importance of fitness and good health among Indian youth. The NBA has conducted over 450 grassroots events in India in 10 cities over the last five years?

Magic Bus and the NBA will identify a community in Mumbai and launch a pilot programme for underprivileged youth that will include a jointly developed basketball curriculum. There will be weekly sessions that will feature and basketball activities and will teach life skills in the areas of education, gender equality, health and fitness. The programme is a part of Magic Bus? ?Sport for development? approach.

Basketball will also be integrated into existing Magic Bus programmes in 12 Indian communities and NBA coaches will conduct basketball and fitness clinics for youth enrolled in each community. NBA legends and players who travel to India in the coming year will also participate in clinics for Magic Bus youth.

Magic Bus CEO founder Mathew Spacie said, ?We are thrilled to partner with the NBA to pilot a programme where we will use basketball as a base for our award winning ?sport for development? curriculum. The Magic Bus curriculum works to help provide youth with guidance to make dignified life choices from childhood to adulthood and integrating basketball as a sport for development can diversify our programme benefits to help more and more children learn and grow.?