MUMBAI: News Corp?s India affiliate, Star TV, has bagged the BCCI media rights for international cricket played in India for a whopping Rs 38.51 billion, surprising all who expected the joint venture entity, ESPN Star Sports, to bid.

Star India bet higher than the only rival bidder Multi Screen Media (formerly Sony Entertainment Television India) for the six-year broadcast and digital rights till 2018. MSM, IPL?s official broadcast rights holder, bid Rs 37 billion to back up its plans to launch a sports channel.

Star will cough up Rs 401.154 million per match, a huge increase compared to Rs 312.50 million that Nimbus Communications was paying for every match when its contract was prematurely terminated by the BCCI last year for non-payment of broadcast rights fee.

According to sources in the BCCI, only five companies had bought the bidding documents with only MSM and Star placing their bids before the marketing committee that had met in Chennai to open the bids. The ones who bought bid documents include Zee, ESPN Software India, and Times Internet, which intended to bid only for the digital rights.

The contract between BCCI and Star TV will cover a total of 96 matches which includes visit by teams like Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka. It also includes domestic events like Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and the Irani Trophy.

The most interesting part of the bidding was that ESS, which operates Star Sports, Star Cricket and ESPN, did not submit the bid even though it bought the tender documents.

?I am glad to announce that Star TV won the bid for six years. The total bid amount is about Rs 3,851 crores (Rs 38.51 billion) for the six year period covering 96 matches. The BCCI is very happy that the BCCI rights are fully evaluated and now I think fully priced,? BCCI president N Srinivasan said, announcing the winning bid.

Star TV India CEO Uday Shankar said the broadcaster would work with ESS to jointly develop the content. ?BCCI is a great property and we are overjoyed to have an opportunity to develop it further. It was decided amongst ESPN Star Sports, ESPN and Star that Star would bid for the rights and if Star were to win the rights it would be exploited in collaboration with ESS,? Shankar said in a statement.

For ESS, which has platforms across television, Internet and mobile medium, the BCCI media rights will come as a booster shot. With the India rights expected to be housed under it, ESS can boast of having rights for three of the top four cricket boards which includes Australia and England excluding South Africa, which is owned by Ten Sports. It also holds the global rights for ICC events till 2015 besides Champions League Twenty20 commercial rights till 2017.

Commenting on the deal, ESPN Star Sports MD Manu Sawhney said, "ESS is very pleased that STAR has secured the BCCI rights for the period 2012 to 2018. It was decided by the ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) Board that the most preferred way for these rights is for STAR to bid with the understanding that should they win, they would utilize these rights in partnership with ESPN STAR Sports. We look forward to continue to enhance fans? engagement with the game.?

The BCCI had clubbed the digital with the TV broadcast rights, setting a floor price of Rs 322.5 million (Rs 312.5 million plus Rs 10 million for new media rights) per international game for category A and Rs 340 million (Rs 330 million plus 10 million for new media rights) per game for category B.

The new media rights, which were not part of the earlier rights package with Nimbus, had failed to draw attention as it was highly priced. The BCCI had twice floated tenders fixing base price at Rs 30 and Rs 20 million respectively.

India?s FTP at home for the period is as follows:

MUMBAI: James Murdoch has stepped down as the executive chairman of News International, the publisher of the now defunct News of the World, to focus on the broadcast business of News Corporation, the parent company of News International.

The junior Murdoch will relocate to News Corp?s headquarters in New York as the deputy chief operating officer, News Corp said in a statement.

Tom Mockridge, CEO of News International, will continue in his post and will report to News Corporation president and COO Chase Carey.

"We are all grateful for James? leadership at News International and across Europe and Asia, where he has made lasting contributions to the group?s strategy in paid digital content and its efforts to improve and enhance governance programmes," said News Corporation chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch.

"He has demonstrated leadership and continues to create great value at Star TV, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, and BSkyB. Now that he has moved to New York, James will continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on important pay-TV businesses and broader international operations."

James Murdoch, who was under fire from the UK authorities following the phone hacking scandal that had engulfed the News of the World, said he was looking to his relocation to News Corp.

"I deeply appreciate the dedication of my many talented colleagues at News International who work tirelessly to inform the public and am confident about the tremendous momentum we have achieved under the leadership of my father and Tom Mockridge," he said.

"With the successful launch of The Sun on Sunday and new business practices in place across all titles, News International is now in a strong position to build on its successes in the future. As Deputy Chief Operating Officer, I look forward to expanding my commitment to News Corporation?s international television businesses and other key initiatives across the Company."
NOTW ceased publication after 168 years following its final print edition on 10 July which resulted in the loss of around 200 jobs.

The News International publishes three news papers, The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times besides the launch of Sunday edition of The Sun.

MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS has announced that David Wisnia is executive VP, affiliate relations.

Wisnia will work closely with CBS president, affiliate relations Diana Wilkin.in negotiating new affiliation contracts while helping to oversee the department?s operations and personnel. In addition, Wisnia will serve as a senior liaison to the Affiliate Board and station/ group owners.

The appointment is effective 15 August.

Wilkin said, "David is that rare executive who brings sales, distribution and marketing experience along with a strong legal background. He is someone who understands the nuances of the network-affiliate model, and the value of CBS programming to our many stations. I am looking forward to working with David as we continue to evolve our relationship with our affiliates and set the industry standard."

Wisnia most recently served as News Corp?s Star TV senior VP, distribution, sales and marketing head of North American and European Operations where he oversaw day-to-day operations of those region?s businesses, including P&L, affiliate relations, advertising, marketing, local programming, as well as strategic planning for growth.