Reliance Broadcast to buy Imagine Showbiz

Reliance Broadcast Network plans to acquire Imagine Showbiz, Bollywood music and entertainment channel from Cinestar Advertising Pvt Ltd.

This will mark its entry in Hindi content space, after its tie-up with CBS for three English channels. The acquisition will be done through RBNL's wholly owned subsidiary Reliance Television Pvt Ltd.

The buyout will also include intellectual property rights, music library, Bollywood content, studios, equipment and distribution network.

"This proposed acquisition is in line with the overall strategy to create ownership of multi-media consumer touch-points. It will further strengthen our television portfolio, from the English space into the Hindi entertainment space," said Tarun Katial, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd.

The company can synergize this platform to cross-sell advertisements, use common content sourcing, create package deals for ad buyers, and use the existing distribution network, by leveraging it with its radio arm–92.7 BIG FM'its intellectual property arm–BIG Live'and its integrated sales offering through BIG Connect.

"We are confident of building the channel into a robust entertainment option with novel programming enhancements, while offering an exciting platform for marketers," said Katial.

BAG Network appoints RK Arora as CEO of its broadcasting initiatives

In the newly created post, RK Arora will look after the complete operations of Hindi news channel, News24, Bollywood channel E24 and FM radio business Dhamaal24. He will also be responsible for the expansion plans of the network.

Arora said, "I am pleased to join BAG Network which has different verticals such as television, radio, teleport services, TV serials, film production and media institute and with my vast experience of 14 years in media, I will be able to enhance the growth of the network."

BAG Films and Media CMD Anurradha Prasad said, "With an experience of over 14 years and his grip on the media industry and distribution network including technology implications, he is going to help BAG Network reach new milestones."

TUNA is fresh behind FOOD first's enchanting packaging

Real Lifestyle Network's premier offering, FOOD first, announced TUNA is fresh as their packaging partners. Miami based TUNA, specializes in creating show packaging and image campaigns for TV networks in the US and also for prominent international markets.

Speaking about the partnership, Manisha Tripathi, Business Head, Real Global Broadcasting Pvt. Ltd., said, "The strategy for FOOD first is to be an entertaining channel around FOOD showcasing the celebration of FOOD. The channel breaks away from the traditional straight laced instructional cookery shows to present an exploratory, experimental spirit around FOOD to resonate with the younger target group. Tuna interpreted this just right in the fresh, dynamic rendition of the channel packaging design for FOOD first. We're very happy with TUNA's execution of FOOD first packaging. "

Pepe Carmona of TUNA enthusiastically adds, "Viewers prefer programs that they can relate with, when this is also reinforced through the packaging, it really hits the sweet spot.  With FOOD first, our focus has been to create fresher and innovative packaging that pushes the bar on engagement. Our association with FOOD first has presented a superb platform for us to showcase world class imagery and show packaging that celebrates the global passion for food". 

At FOOD first, the focus is on food. Packaging reflects this, and visually focuses food at its appealing best, to sync with programming into a delightful overall experience for viewers. FOOD first's packaging exhibits a lot of dynamism in imagery and every effort  has been made to keep it world-class in cognizance of the cosmopolitan tastes of our audience and the aspirational nature of the content.

UTV Bindass and UTV Movies now in Malaysia

UTV Global Broadcasting (UGBL) has signed up with Malaysian IPTV platform HyppTV to carry its two channels - UTV Bindass and UTV Movies. HyppTV is Malaysia's newest pay TV service where the content is delivered by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) through its high speed broadband service, UniFi.

UGBL chief operating officer, MK Anand said, "We are pleased to announce the foray of our channels into Malaysia and with HyppTV as our distribution partner, we are confident of our content reaching out to the right audiences. The Malaysian TV viewer is widely exposed and has a taste for quality entertainment and we are sure our content will surpass their expectations."

UTV Bindass offers a mix of reality content as well as Bollywood music, while UTV Movies is the only movie channel coming from a motion picture studio.

TM EVP new media Jeremy Kung added, "We welcome our partnership with UTV and the diversity of content that we can now offer via HyppTV. We believe that with the addition of new channels from UTV, we have the right mix of content to meet the discerning tastes of the Malaysian audience. All our new channels are exclusive to HyppTV. In addition, we believe that our service has entered the market at the right time, offering consumers a whole new alternative entertainment experience."

Zee TV expands reach in the US with Comcast

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has expanded the reach of its flagship Hindi general entertainment channel Zee TV in the USA as it has signed up with Comcast.

Zee TV has been added to Comcast's international channel line-up in the city of Philadelphia, Washington DC, Fredericks, Montgomery, Prince Georges and Loudoun counties and Colorado.

"Launching Zee TV in Comcast service areas affords an even larger audience for Zee TV's outstanding South Asian line up and viewership," said Sudev Datta, Zee TV VP-Affiliate Sales in America. "Zee TV is the leading South Asian television network worldwide. Our belief in entertainment and commitment to our audience is evident in partnerships like this. This widens Zee's coverage and enhances our leadership position in the US market."

"Comcast is dedicated to information and entertainment options that reflect the diverse interests of our customers and connecting them with what's important in their lives by offering the programming choice and value they expect from Comcast," said Comcast Corporate director of national ethnic marketing, Natalie Rouse.

CVL Srinivas joins Starcom MediaVest Group

Starcom MediaVest Group has appointed media veteran CVL Srinivas as managing director, LiquidThread, Asia Pacific, as well as chairman, Starcom MediaVest Group, India. Srinivas will report to Andrew Swinand, president, global operations, SMG and Brian Terkelsen, president and managing director, LiquidThread, SMG. He will work closely with Srikant Sastri, country chair, VivaKi India and will be a member of the SMG Global Management Group.

CVL Srinivas said, "SMG's promise to be the Human Experience Company is fascinating and future-focused. I look forward to working closely with the teams at LiquidThread and SMG to translate this vision into tangible value for our clients".

Commenting on Srinivas' appointment, Swinand remarked, "We have found an extraordinary leader for SMG India, and for our growing LiquidThread operations in APAC. Srini brings with him nearly two decades of business experience and we look forward to him being part of the SMG family. We are confident that he will make a strategic difference to our India business, successfully projecting it as the Human Experience Company."

LiquidThread represents the next stage of audience aggregation and content development for SMG. Keeping in line with the network's digital, open source approach, LiquidThread will increase the scale and innovation of SMG's content creation, moving beyond branded entertainment to create communities, conversations and advocates for brand properties.

Reliance MediaWorks inks pact with Russian World Studios

Reliance MediaWorks has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russian World Studios (RWS) and Obyadinennaya Gosudarstvennaya Kinokollektsia (OGK).

RWS is a part of JSFC Sistema, a large diversified financial corporation in Russia and the CIS serving more than 100 million customers across varied industries such as telecommunications, high technology, fuel-energy complex and petrochemistry, radar and space, banking, real estate, retail, mass media, tourism and healthcare.

RWS and Reliance MediaWorks have associated to outsource work related to film restoration, image processing and enhancement and HD conversion from Russia to the Indian company's facilities in Mumbai and Burbank in California.

Depending on requirement and developing business potential, Reliance MediaWorks and RWS will also explore the possibility of jointly setting up a dedicated restoration and digitization facility within RWS studio complex at St Petersburg for image processing and touch-ups.