ESPN strikes an interim deal with Asianet

Asianet Satellite Communications and ESPN Software India have arrived at an interim settlement allegedly over enhanced annual rent. The negotiations took place pursuant to ASC moving the Supreme Court seeking right to receive signals on non-discriminatory basis from ESPN Software. ASC has started telecast of ESPN and Star Sports after the parties negotiated settlement, as directed by the telecom tribunal.

The cable operator in its appeal before the apex court stated that the tribunal had failed to appreciate that one of the fundamental rules in interconnect agreements is non-discrimination between the cable operators and level playing field between them.

Disney expands leadership roles in India

The Walt Disney Company India has expanded three strategic leadership roles in line with the company's commitment to growing the Disney brand in India. Retail has emerged as an integral part of Disney's consumer products business. In order to meet the fast changing tastes of consumers and expanding retail footprint, Roshini Bakshi, has been promoted to vice president, consumer products, publishing and retail. In this role, Bakshi will oversee all of Disney's retail interests and continue to be responsible for creating and executing strategy for both the consumer products and publishing businesses, in addition to retail.

With over 300 million movie admissions each year, the studios business is one of the key growth drivers for the Disney brand. With the growing appetite for local content, Swati Shetty has been promoted to executive director, theatrical productions and acquisitions, Walt Disney Studios International Production (India), responsible for creative and production efforts and managing talent relationships for local projects. Over the past five years, Shetty has played key roles including advertising sales and content syndication.

Vijay Subramaniam has been promoted to executive director, Disney India Media Solutions and Alliances (DIMSA). Subramaniam has been instrumental in driving the ad sales function for the Disney network of television channels and in this new role, he will be responsible for identifying commercial opportunities across all the Disney businesses (including TV, studios, merchandising, publishing, mobile, internet and live events) in India

Network18 to do away with cross-holdings

Network18 may soon simplify the holding structure of its companies and remove cross-holdings. There are five listed companies in the group. Also, there are cross- holdings between the various companies making it difficult to value for experts. In addition, the business model of each company has elements of overlap in it. The Network18 management is considering restructuring to address these issues.

Network18 holds stake in TV18, IBN18 and Infomedia18, which are listed on the Indian bourses. It has brands like Web 18, CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, Newswire18, moneycontrol.com, CNN-IBN, IBN 7, Homeshop18 and E18 under its fold. It also has investments in Setpro, primarily engaged in the business of distribution of channels; it has a 50:50 joint venture with Viacom and runs the company Viacom18.

Star Plus in for brand reinvention

Star India's flagship entertainment channel, Star Plus, has gone in for a makeover with a new logo and tagline - Rishte Wahi, Soch Nayi (old relationship, new thinking).The new logo is just one part of Star Plus' makeover exercise. The new programming line-up on Star Plus with three new shows and blockbuster movie offerings will strengthen the brand and improve loyalty amongst viewers. The makeover comes at a time when Star Plus has emerged as the leader among GECs, after 22 weeks.

BCCI, Viacom 18 call off entertainment licence deal

The entertainment licence deal between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Colors, the general (entertainment) channel of Viacom 18, has been called off.

Estimated to be worth Rs. 100-150 crore, the three-year deal was inked by the former Commissioner of the Indian Premier League, Lalit Modi, last March to broadcast IPL-related events and create its own shows linked to the tourney. During IPL 3, Colors rolled out three shows: IPL Rockstar, IPL Awards Night and Khatron Ke Khiladi Season III. MTV, the music channel of the network, hosted IPL Nights, which included fashion shows and post-match parties. All the shows were produced by Endemol India.

Colors had sold the title sponsorships of these shows for Rs. 10-15 crore, and 10-second spot advertisements at a premium of 20-25 percent. For instance, IPL Nights had signed a long-term deal with Karbonn Mobiles, while Sahara partnered IPL Awards Night for three years. Some sponsors were willing to commit to the show if the entertainment rights were sold to another channel.

The deadlock with Viacom 18 came to light when BCCI refused to release its cricketers to the proposed Khatron ke Khiladi programme. Over a dozen big names as Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan were to participate. Colors had also roped in actress Priyanka Chopra to host the show. But BCCI turned down the proposal after Modi's suspension saying they were not informed of this commitment, forcing the channel to change the format of the show.

Kalanithi Maran pledges 16.84 percent stake in Sun TV

Kalanidhi Maran, Chairman and Managing Director, Sun TV Network has pledged 6.63 crore shares, representing a 16.84 percent stake in the media company. The shares pledged by him account for 21.87 percent of his personal stake in the company. The development comes at a time when Maran had agreed to buy a 37.7 percent in budget airline SpiceJet for an estimated Rs. 750 crore, thus becoming its single largest stakeholder. Previously, Maran launched an open offer to acquire an additional 20 percent stake in the no-frills airline for an estimated Rs. 479.29 crore.

NewsX renamed IMN News

INX News Pvt Ltd has re-launched its English news channel NewsX with a new brand name - Independent Media Network News or IMN News. The new brand name will give the channel a comprehensive makeover.

Punit Goenka appointed as MD by Zee News Ltd

Punit Goenka has been appointed as managing director of Zee News Ltd. Goenka is also the Managing Director of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. Laxmi N Goel , the previous MD of the company has resigned from his executive position but he will continue as a non-executive director on the board of the company.

Sony TV plans to launch two new channels

Sony Pictures Television has plans to launch two new movie channels later this year, continuing the company's expansion. One venture, tentatively titled Sony Pictures Movies HD, would be the company's first wholly owned cable channel in the U.S. devoted to movies. Although the company owns an expansive portfolio of foreign channels, it has not tapped the lucrative cable TV channel business in the U.S. The channel is being designed to exploit Sony's large film library and offer cable and satellite television operators another high-definition channel to market their packages. The Sony movie channel would not be a premium service that competes with HBO, Starz or Showtime -- or an upstart like Epix. The other new movie channel being offered to cable and satellite TV systems is FearNet, a joint venture of Sony, Lionsgate and Comcast Corp. Boasting a trove of horror movies, FearNet currently is offered as an online service and a video-on-demand channel by some cable operators, including Comcast, Cox Communications, AT&T's U-verse and Verizon Fios.