Mumbai: zoOm, India?s # 1 Bollywood Channel, the preferred choice of the youth, is all set to re-launch its most popular show in an all new avatar as ?Planet Bollywood News‘. On 23rd May at 7pm get ready to catch a glimpse into the life of the Bollywood?s youngest, most dashing and handsome Khan in the industry, Imran Khan, as he inaugurates the all new Planet Bollywood News, reveals his secrets and shares his future movie plans in an exclusive t?te-?-t?te on the show.

?zoOm is today the only channel that provides the complete Bollywood experience to over 6 crore youth of India. With Bollywood news as it happens, in-depth interviews, movie reviews, countdowns, features and much more, zoOm is an integral part of the Bollywood ecosystem. I am sure that the all new ?Planet Bollywood News?, delivered in a lively and spirited format and in an all new look, will delight the insatiable curiosity of our viewers even more by giving them their daily dose of the freshest and spiciest happenings in Bollywood?, says Avinash Kaul CEO of zoOm.

Commenting on his appearance on Planet Bollywood News, Imran Khan said ?I am very thrilled to be associated with zoOm?s ?Planet Bollywood News?. This is the show I tune into to get a quick update on Bollywood because whatever is happening in the industry, I know I can always catch it on Planet Bollywood News.?
Says Omar Qureshi, Editor-in-Chief, Zoom Entertainment Network, ?When it comes to Bollywood news, the leadership stance has always been maintained by a fair margin by zoOm?s Planet Bollywood. It?s always been pacy, newsy, gossipy - and some stars end up looking a little sulky post the show ? but they know it to be the truth. We at zoOm are extremely delighted to have Imran Khan as our guest of honor on the opening show for ?Planet Bollywood News? because who better than a youth icon to re-launch an iconic news show.?

To get the latest updates from Bollywood watch Planet Bollywood News, in an all new avatar, every night from 23rdMay, 7pm onwards, only on zoOm.
 

MUMBAI: Disney Channel is all set to showcase Disney?s classic blockbuster movie ?The Lion King? as a special summer treat for all its fans. The Academy Award winning ?The Lion King? will premiere on Disney Channel on May 22, 2011 at 1.30 pm. Both critically acclaimed and a commercial success, the film is the most popular hand drawn animation film till date.

Arnab Chaudhuri, executive director, Content and Creative, Walt Television International India said, ?The Lion King is possibly the greatest animated feature of all time. This film is not only a Disney classic, it is a testament to the art of animation and the power of great storytelling. We are very excited to bring this timeless story to Disney Channel fans of all ages.?

The story of a father and son, ?The Lion King? presents the journey of a lion from a cub to adulthood and the acceptance of his royal destiny. With voice-overs from Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg and Jeremy Irons in English and Suresh Oberoi, Avinash Narkar, Salim Ghouse, Malishka and Uday Sabnis in Hindi, the film features five original songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice, with Elton John performing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" during the end credits. The film‘s score was composed by Hans Zimmer and supplemented with traditional African music and choir elements arranged by Lebo M. The Lion King received two Academy Awards for its outstanding music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture ? Musical or Comedy.

So, book your seats, keep the popcorn ready and get ready to enjoy ?The Lion King? with your families in the comfort of your home on May 22, 2011 at 1.30 pm only on Disney Channel.

Here are a few fun and interesting facts about The Lion King:

For the more than 600 artists, animators and technicians who contributed to "The Lion King" over its lengthy production schedule, the film presented many challenges. In the end, more than one million drawings were created for the film, which is made up of 1,197 hand-painted backgrounds and 119,058 individually colored frames of film.

Several Disney animators went to Africa to study animal behavior and interaction in the wild. A grown lion and a cub were also brought into the animation studio as models for anatomy and musculature.

The main locations for the film, including Pride Rock and the Gorge, are modeled after Hell‘s Gate National Park in Kenya

Anatomy consultant Stuart Sumida, a biology professor at Cal State, San Bernardino, helped the animators get a better understanding for their character‘s movements through his informative lectures at the studio on comparative anatomy, skeletal structure and action analysis.
 

Mumbai: Powered by a compelling mix of local and international, animation and live action content the Disney network of channels tops the ratings charts this week with 46% share of viewership in HSM and 45% in All India. This was announced at the company?s annual trade event ---?Disney Expo? today.

?We are delighted with the viewership performance of all our channels and our shows. This success is testament to the unique way Disney engages with Indian kids and families? says Natasha Malhotra, VP and GM, Walt Disney Television International India.

The network?s channels took over top slots in all markets --- Disney Channel stood at #1 in HSM at 171 GRPs, Disney XD held #1 position in South at 135 GRPs and Hungama TV was #1 in All India at 147 GRPs (Source: TAM Week 20 kids 4-14 SEC ABC 7000 to 2300 hrs).

The network has seen significant growth on the back of an exciting content mix that is locally relevant, aspirational and entertaining.

Disney Channel?s first family sitcom Best of Luck Nikki (Sun, 11am) continued its 1+ TVR trend this week as well with a 1.2TVR among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) in HSM and a 1.54TVR among younger kids (CS 4-9 ABC).

The show launched at unprecedented ratings, making it the most successful series launch (since 2005) in the kids? genre in India.

Disney Channel was the #1 channel for kids across all channels in the time slot at show launch (Kids 4 to 14 in Hindi Speaking Markets, SEC ABC).

The channels recent launch Disney original animation show Fish Hooks (Sat, 11am) delivered 1.2TVR among younger kids (CS 4-9 ABC).

?It is wonderful to see more kids and families enjoying our rich repertoire of engaging stories and lovable relatable characters?, adds Natasha.

Stay tuned as the Disney network promises an even higher dose of entertainment and fun in the weeks to come with new shows, contests and more!.
 

Mumbai, 20th May 2011: STAR Plus remains untouched by the IPL this year as well and continues to retain its stronghold as the most popular Hindi GEC in India. The channel has witnessed an increase in channel share in both Male and Female TG by 16.6% and 20% respectively (pre and post IPL) thereby proving yet again that its content enjoys greater viewer attention than IPL.

MUMBAI - BIG MAGIC India?s first exclusive channel for the core Hindi heartland from the Reliance Broadcast Network stable, featuring locally relevant entertainment around Humor, Music & Bollywood has emerged as the undisputed No. 1 in the heartland of Hindustan in the regions of UP, MP, and Bihar. The channel clocks the highest GRP?s this week overtaking long established channels like Mahuaa TV, Dabaang, Sahara Samay UP, Dhamaal Zee News UP, and a host of others. (Source TAM- Week 19-20?11-May 1st to May 14th-CS 4+, UP+MP+BIHAR).

BIG MAGIC today can boast of being the only channel that makes programmes with local flavour for the region. The Channel derives huge synergies with RBNL?s already well established radio brand ? 92.7 BIG FM, the leading radio network in this region, operating 11 Stations in the heartland. The Channel with its endearing characters and programs is a kaleidoscope of the different facets of the region and its people.

With a refreshing programming lineup of Music, Movies, Bollywood and Humour, backed by strong distribution and innovative marketing initiatives, the channel has fared exceedingly well vis a vis competition, garnering excellent market share. Shows like ?Darz Kiya Hain? and ?Lot Pot? have already been lapped up by the audiences for their regional flavor beyond the popular and retro music bands. With the new shows in the offing BIG MAGIG is sure to take its leadership to different level.

Ramita Chaudhuri, Business Head, BIG MAGIC, said, ?We are very happy with the numbers. We have risen to this position in a short span of time, on the back of our clutter-breaking and carefully tailored content. The excellent programming backed with an extensive marketing plan has made it a favorite and an instant hit in the heartland. It is our endeavor to continue serving our listeners with the best local entertainment and advertisers with an excellent platform for their brands.?

Below is the graphical representation of the average GRP?s

 BIG MAGIC is being distributed across all cable operators across the states of UP, MP and Bihar and spread across the likes of DEN, Digicable, WWIL, Hathway, Darsh and Maurya amongst others, reaching approximately 10 mn households in the heartland. The Channel will be placed on S-band, ensuring the channel is among the first 50 channels on the television sets, placed among the top Hindi GEC?s, ensuring excellent opportunity to see. BIG MAGIC is also being supported with a high decibel integration plan on 92.7 BIG FM, Outdoor, Mall Activation, play-out seeding in malls, print and local cable.

MUMBAI: UTV World Movies, that received 260 entries, for its ?Short Film Competion? has declared the top three winners. With the competition, UTV World Movies had taken a leap ahead in providing a platform to budding talent from across the nation.

Choosing the top three entries was an esteemed panel of judges comprising well-known directors like Raj Kumar Gupta, Paresh Mokashi and Sooni Taraporevala.

The winning entries that captured the interest and appreciation of the judges are Do I by Vikram Ahuja (Bangalore), The Price by Vicky Khandpur (Mumbai) and Lost and Found by Param Shiv (Mumbai).

The winning films are an interesting mix comprising an artistically made stop motion film which narrates the story of a lonely guy in Lost and Found to an exaggerated version of how guys feel and think about marriage and more importantly how differently men and women think in Do I and finally The Price which is an abstract take on a social message narrated through the tale of young man‘s first visit to a prostitute and the price he has to pay.

Speaking on the initiative, UTV World Movies Marketing Head Kunal Mukherjee said, ?We received an admirable response for the Short Film Competition with entries coming in from almost all parts of the country. It has been a tough decision for the judges but the most deserving entries have been picked. We are glad to showcase the efforts of these winners and hope to continue such initiatives that provide a platform to talented people.?

The channel will air the winning films on 22 May at 9 pm.