Now, more viewers across India can enjoy the very best of Japanese animation ‘anime’ from Animax, India’s first channel dedicated to Japanese animation.
Animax has entered into a strategic tie-up with Sony Entertainment Television for the creation of an Animax branded block on the channel. Launching on December 6, 2004 ‘Animax Kool Kidz’, will broadcast daily on Sony Entertainment Television between 5 and 6 pm and feature some of the very best animation programs from Animax. All the programmes that will be dubbed and broadcast in Hindi have been carefully selected to appeal primarily to kids 7-14 years. The Japanese animation is today already a US $20 billion global industry, an indication of the immense popularity this entertainment genre has around the world. Betty Tsui, SPE Networks, Asia adds, “Anime already enjoys a massive popularity in many parts of Asia, the US and Europe, and we have every reason to believe that this will be the next big thing for the kids and youth in India.”
Some of the popular anime programs that will be airing in the Animax Kool Kidz block include Princess Sarah, Little Women, Princess Tutu, Princess Comet, Daigunder, Cyborg 009, UFO Baby, Baby Ba-Chan, Cyborg Kurochan and Fancy Lala. Speaking on the launch Sunil Lulla, Executive VP, Sony, said, “The ‘Animax Kool Kidz’ band fits in with our philosophy of providing contemporary, unique and innovative entertainment to our viewers. It is our endeavour at expanding our viewer base, reaching to newer target audiences into the age group of 7 - 14 years.”
Alanis Morissette, Darius to perform at MTV IMMIES 2004
MTV in exclusive partnership with IMI has announced the international performers for this years MTV IMMIES - Alanis Morissette, one of the most talked about international artistes and teen heartthrob, Darius. Presented by Tata Indicom, MTV IMMIES will be held in Mumbai on December 10, 2004 at the Tulip Star Hotel.
The critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician, famed for her extraordinary vocal talent and original style, Alanis Morissette promises to pack in a show-stopping performance at the MTV IMMIES 2004. With over 40 million albums sold worldwide, the seven-time Grammy Award winner’s universal appeal has led to a unique connection with fans and extensive overseas touring. Since the release of her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill in 1995, Alanis has been known for creating music that has unflinchingly examined her own life and the world around her. Teen heartthrob, Darius, will also perform live at the show and in India for the first time. His debut single Colourblind was released in July 2002 and went straight to number one for two weeks in the UK. It sold a staggering 112,000 copies in its first week, and has already been awarded Silver status with sales now standing at over 300,000 in the UK alone. The show will be hosted by the glamorous Mandira Bedi and the irrepressible Cyrus Broacha. This year, the MTV IMMIES show is based on the ‘Horror’ (with loads of fun) theme. MTV IMMIES will be filmed before a live audience and simulcast to over 23.5 million homes on MTV and 32 million homes on Sony Entertainment Television on December 19, 2004.
 |
| |
Growth for cable, content providers seen
Technology is changing the media and entertainment industry, a survey by Ernst and Young has pointed out. The survey - Fast Forward: Technology Propels Media & Entertainment CEOs into the Future - has said that technology-savvy managers are critical to their companies’ success. Digitisation of content and increasing adoption of broadband distribution technologies are among the factors creating major shifts in the industry. Cable/satellite networks and content providers are seen as the biggest winners in the years ahead.
“The report acts as a harbinger for the Indian media and entertainment industry, and will help set the right pace of technological development in this changing global scenario,” Ernst & Young (India) media and practice leader Farokh Balsara said. “With the right management team in place and by developing the right talent pool, we will see a lot of Indian media companies competing in the global arena,” he said. Among the key findings of the survey is that television broadcasting remains one of the most profitable segments of the media and entertainment industry. But, executives, who were contacted for the survey, perceive TV broadcasting as the most challenged to thriveand grow in future. Interestingly, cable TV networks, which have not performed too well in the European market, are likely to do better than other industry segments in the future, the study indicated. The music industry, the survey indicates, has the lowest profitability margins among the various segments. Another finding is that around 75% of executives participating in the study cited digital video recorders (DVRs) as an innovation which could disrupt the industry’s status quo.
Zee subsidiary wins case over use of logo
Ruling in favour of Subhash Chandra-promoted ASC Enterprises, the Delhi HighCourt has dismissed a petition filed by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation over use of the mark ‘FX’. ASC had launched its first direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting platform last year. Its bouquet includes channels from the Zee stable, Smile TV, Trendz, and ‘FX’, among others.
Twentieth Century Fox had filed a petition restraining ASC from using the mark ‘FX’. It had claimed proprietary rights over the mark as it was the name of the channel the company had launched in the UK and the US in June 1994. In response, ASC agreed to change the mark to MX with Zee logo prominently displayed but the petitioner had refused to accept the alteration. Dismissing the contention of the petitioner, Justice Mukul Mudgal said, “There is no reasonable possibility of confusion or deception of a possible viewer. This suit is mainly about a mark seen on the visual media. Such a change offered to be made is sufficient to redress the grievance averred by the plaintiff.”
According to Rajiv Nayyar, counsel for ASC Enterprises, neither is the mark ‘FX’ a descriptive word nor has it acquired any goodwill or reputation in India. ‘FX’ has not acquired the secondary meaning of distinctiveness in favour of Twentieth Century Fox. The mere fact of advertisements in foreign magazine does not confer rights on the plaintiff,” he said.
Counsel CM Lall, on behalf of the petitioner, on the other hand contended that the ‘FX’ channel and its programmes had become synonymous with Twentieth Century. “The ‘FX’ channel has been extensively advertised and has had extensive media coverage in several well circulated magazines and journals,” he said. The court has now allowed Zee to use the logo as having Zee letters in white imposed upon the letter Z in brown and letters M with a staggered X. “... Once such a mark is used and the channel identified clearly to demonstrate that ‘MX’ belongs to Zee Network and is being marked as ‘MX’, there is no reasonable possibility of confusion or deception...,” Justice Mudgal said.