MUMBAI: Star India has announced the telecast of the third edition of ?Big Star Entertainment Award? in association with Reliance Broadcast Network.

The event will be held on 16 December in Mumbai while it will be aired on New Year?s Eve.

The award will feature 31 categories, winners for which will be selected through online and SMS votes sent in by 92.7 Big FM listeners and Star Plus viewers.

The ?BIG Star Entertainment Awards 2012? will be promoted through a marketing campaign which will integrate RBNL?s multimedia platforms including radio, television and outdoor, supported by print and digital initiatives and on-ground activations.

RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, "The unique format of Big Star Entertainment Awards, which empowers audiences to choose their favorite entertainers along with the exciting show offering has clicked with audiences. They come back each year for unmatched and exclusive entertainment and an exceptional usher to their New Year! Now in its third year, the show which will air on Star Plus, is being planned, to surpass all benchmarks, becoming truly the BIGgest STAR Entertainment Awards!"

Star Plus SVP marketing Nikhil Madhok said, "New Year?s eve is a special night that all families like to spend together. Star Plus believes that this family time can be made more special with the right entertainment. Star Plus is back with the third season of Big Star Entertainment Awards which is full of entertaining performances by the biggest celebrities. It promises to be a great opportunity for families to bond and bring in the New Year."

MUMBAI: Star India?s acquisition of BCCI media rights for a whopping price has resulted in US media conglomerate News Corp?s international cable channels earnings contributions decline by 7 per cent in the first quarter ended 30 September from a year earlier.

Expenses at News Corp?s cable network programming grew by 11 per cent in part due to the BCCI rights. Star India earlier this year acquired BCCI media rights for Rs 38.51 billion for six years till 2018.

News Corp has reported total revenue for the first quarter of $8.14 billion, a $177 million, or two per cent, increase over the $7.96 billion a year earlier.

The revenue increase was led by 16 per cent growth at the company?s cable network programming segment, which was partially offset by declines at the company?s direct broadcast satellite television and publishing segments. The international affiliate?s revenue increase was boosted by Star India.

Cable network programming reported quarterly segment operating income of $953 million, a $178 million, or 23 per cent, increase over the prior year quarter, driven by a 16 per cent increase in revenue. Operating income contributions from the domestic channels increased by 33 per cent, led by growth at the Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), FX Network and Fox News Channel.

Strong local currency operating profit growth at the Fox International Channels was more than offset by the adverse impact of the strengthened US dollar and the impact of the inaugural broadcasts of the new BCCI cricket rights at Star.

About two-thirds of the international affiliate revenue increase reflects strong local currency organic growth at FIC and Star in India. The balance of the growth was from the inclusion of Fox Pan American Sports partially offset by the impact of strengthened US dollar.

Ad revenue at the domestic cable channels grew by eight per cent in the quarter over the prior year period, led by growth at the RSNs and Fox News Channel. The international cable channels? advertising revenue improved on a local currency basis but reported a one per cent decline from the prior year quarter, as the impact of the strengthened US dollar more than offset local currency growth at both the Fox International Channels, which benefitted from the consolidation of the Fox Pan American Sports network, and Star in India.

Expenses at cable network programming grew by 11 per cent in the quarter over the corresponding period in the prior year, due to increased programming costs including rights fees for the BCCI cricket in India, expanded Big 12 and PAC 12 college football coverage, the launch of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as increased expenses associated with the consolidation of the Fox Pan American Sports network and the launch of new sports networks in Brazil and San Diego.

Film reported quarterly segment operating income of $400 million, $53 million higher than the $347 million reported in the same period a year ago. Quarterly results reflect the successful worldwide theatrical performance of ?Ice Age: Continental Drift?, which has grossed over $850 million in worldwide box office to date and is now the biggest animated film of all-time at the international box office.

Prior year first quarter film results included the successful worldwide theatrical performance of ?Rise of the Planet of the Apes? and the worldwide home entertainment performances of ?Rio? and ?X-Men: First Class?. The quarter also included increased contributions from the television production studios, including increased digital distribution revenue related to the timing of delivery of content to Netflix.

Television reported quarterly segment operating income of $156 million, an increase of $23 million versus the same period a year ago. This increase reflects a more than doubling of retransmission consent revenues and increased local advertising, driven by record first quarter political advertising revenues. These improvements were partially offset by lower national advertising revenues primarily reflecting lower primetime ratings and the market impact from the Olympics in August.

News Corp chairman, CEO Rupert Murdoch said, "Our operational discipline and focus on innovation continued to drive the company?s momentum in our fiscal first quarter, led by double-digit growth in our channels business and the global success of our film and television content. Even against considerable currency headwinds due to a stronger dollar, we were able to increase News Corp?s revenue and adjusted segment operating profit over the prior year quarter while continuing to make key investments to position us for future growth."

"We are committed to leading the change that the marketplace and our customers demand as the company builds on its success at leveraging multi-platform opportunities for our content. We believe that our ability to do so will be enhanced by the flexibility and management focus that will result from the proposed separation of our entertainment and publishing businesses. We have made considerable progress in this process and look forward to providing more details by the end of the calendar year."

Sky Italia generated quarterly segment operating income of $23 million, compared to $119 million of operating income reported in the same period a year ago. The decline was driven by higher programming expenses, including nearly $70 million of rights costs associated with the broadcast of the Olympics. This year?s quarterly results were also adversely impacted by the strengthened U.S. dollar. While reported U.S. dollar revenues declined, quarterly local currency revenue increased 1% from the corresponding period of the prior year led by higher subscription revenues. SKY Italia experienced a net reduction of approximately 40,000 subscribers during the quarter, bringing total subscribers to 4.86 million.

PUBLISHING

Publishing reported quarterly segment operating income of $57 million, a $53 million decrease compared to the $110 million reported in the same period a year ago, due to lower advertising revenues across all divisions, led by declines at the Australian and U.S. publishing businesses. The declines were partially offset by increased contributions at the U.K. newspapers, which benefitted from the launch of the Sunday edition of The Sun in February 2012, and at HarperCollins, which benefitted from the acquisition of Thomas Nelson, a Christian book publisher.

NEW DELHI: Star India-owned Malayalam television outfit Asianet has received a go-ahead from the Competition Commission of India for its merger with Tamil channel Vijay TV.

Both had approached the Commission for its approval on 22 October as a CCI nod is mandatory for mergers happening under Section 5 of the Competition Act. Both the companies are part of the Star Group.

"The Commission is of the opinion that the proposed combination is not likely to have an adverse impact on competition in India," CCI said.

Star India and Jupiter Entertainment Ventures, Rajeev Chandrasekhar?s media and entertainment development company, had formed a new joint venture called Star Jupiter in 2008. Under the agreement, Star India became the majority shareholder of Asianet Communications Ltd (ACL), which currently broadcasts channels in Kannada (Suvarna), Telugu (Sitara) and Malayalam (Asianet, Asianet Plus).

Vijay TV, the Tamil language general entertainment channel currently operated and owned by Star India, will also come under Star Jupiter.

Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that Chandrasekhar would also have equity stake in Vijay TV. The clearance of CCI, thus, clears this regulatory hurdle.

Also Read: Star decides on maiden IPO in India, Asianet to list

MUMBAI: It?s official. The Home Ministry has finally given clearance to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to invite Pakistan for a series, thereby setting the stage for cricket?s biggest rivalry to unfold in December.

For Star India, this could be a bonanza it had been waiting for as a rivalry between the two countries has high revenue value. The Rupert Murdoch company, which has secured the media rights for international cricket played in India, needs to shell out Rs 322.5 million per match for the five match series which includes three ODIs and two T20s. As per contract with BCCI, Star will pay Rs 322.5 million per match for the first two years till 2014 while for the next four years it will pay a whopping Rs 432 million till 2018.

With government clearance in hand, the BCCI will now be assured of increased earnings from broadcast rights as the series was not part of the Future Tours Programme finalised by the International Cricket Council.

The event will be broadcast on ESPN Star Sports which is a sister concern of Star India after parent company decided to take control of sports broadcasting joint-venture by acquiring Disney-owned ESPN?s 50 per cent stake.

For ESS, it will be three back-to-back blockbuster cricket properties which includes India-England, India-Pakistan and India-Australia next year.

The series is likely to be played between 25 December-7 January at Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Kolkata. The series will be scheduled between the split tour of India and England involving four Tests, five ODIs and two T20 internationals.

The English team will play the Tests and T20s from 15 November-22 December before going on a Christmas break only to return for a five match ODI series beginning 11 January.

The clearance from Home Ministry will mark the resumption of cricketing ties which have been on a standstill ever since the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The two countries last played a series in 2007-08 when Pakistan toured India for three match Test matches and five ODIs.

The two teams have faced each other only in multi-team tournmanents which includes the 2011 ICC World Cup and the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup.

NEW DELHI: The media and entertainment industry has to keep pace with newer technologies and adapt to changing social mores and the Government has to recognise the importance of this sector if it has to touch the $100 billion mark by the end of this decade.

This was the general consensus of speakers in various sessions at the "India-Big Picture" CII-Media and Entertainment Summit.

The CII-PwC‘s latest report titled ‘India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2012‘ released at the meet said India is expected to exceed Rs 1.75 trillion as growing at a CAGR of 17 per cent over the next five years.

Various experts agreed that M&E should emerge as a $100 billion industry in the conceivable future and for this stakeholders have a major role to play.

While the government has to lay a proactive policy framework, the industry should work towards enriching the content, innovation and strict observance to IPR rules.

The industry felt that for the long term growth of the industry, business models should undergo a drastic change. The present business model is dependent on B2B, thereby meaning that the revenues have to be realised from advertisements. More stress has to be laid on B2C concept, which would mean that subscription income should form an important component in the overall revenue flows.

Star India CEO Uday Shankar said digitisation of cable television in the country will mean more scope for programming and content in more languages. But he said that infrastructure in terms of studio space in Mumbai was inadequate and programmers will have to move out.

Similarly, he said access to good talent is difficult since there is no institutionalised way of finding new talent. Clearly, there was need for governmental support in this field.

He said broadcasters were still not clear about the actual picture after 31 October with regard to digitisation, though broadcasters were backing this move.

He said it was unfortunate that the government only saw glitz and glamour in the entertainment industry and did not realise the potential available for social transformation. Social and institutional support was necessary to reach the goals that the industry was setting for itself.

He said the government also failed to realise that if the industry did bring in $ 00 billion as forecast, then it could meet the costs of all the key programmes of the government for rural and urban development and creating employment.

Sony Pictures Television Worldwide Network President Andy Kaplan said game changing is the best insurance against irrelevancy. He said there was a need to adapt and adopt.

India had the third largest television market after China and the United States, and there was diverse consumption of content in every household.

But the ratio of advertising was very minimal in India and there was a huge potential in that sector.

For this purpose, he said the key was innovation and this could be achieved through content, digitisation, distribution, and platforms. Content could also be exported to other countries, and digitization was traversing geographic boundaries. India at present had only 35 per cent digitisation at present. Distribution has already evolved in various ways and newer platforms had come up for this. It is therefore necessary to build newer business models.

Walt Disney India managing director Ronnie Screwvala said Indian M&E was 30 per cent below the target at present. There was no sense of unanimity in this field, and 20 years of broadcasting had led to a growth of television channels but the revenue was still dependent on advertisements ? a shackle that had to be broken. Digitisation would not help too much unless people begin paying. He also said there was no respect for intellectual property and this resulted in rampant piracy. The film industry is at present a Rs 100 billion industry whereas it should have been around Rs 400 billion but for piracy.

But he felt that the country had adequate laws and there was need for better implementation. He also said broadband would become a major game changer and would augment broadcasting. He said rural India offered a lot of untapped opportunities.

CII National Committee on M & E Chairman Amit Khanna regretted that the stars took away a sizeable chunk of the budget of every film.

IMI President Vijay Lazarus regretted that though the consumption of music had increased manifold, only seven per cent was being monetised because of rampant piracy.