The channel will only broadcast content in the liberal French-speaking city of Quebec initially, although an English version to be broadcasted across Canada will be introduced in 2011. Subscription for Vanessa, priced at $14.95, is set to begin in September.

The programme content on Vanessa will primarily consist of erotic-themed dramas, documentaries, reality shows and magazine shows. The channel’s softcore content will be broadcast in HD.

The Canada Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which oversees and regulates content on all channels, has directed the porn channel to follow industry codes related to violence and portray both sexes as being equal.

The rules also say that the channel must obtain 20 percent of its content from local sources. This leaves 80 percent of the channel’s content to be sourced from California’s sex industry located in the San Fernando Valley.

The CRTC allowed the channel to start airing after overcoming earlier protests from religious groups that said that the 20 percent local source rule could give lead more youth into jobs in the adult industry.

Canada, which already has a Naked News Channel, also has adult content broadcast by cable services and satellite TV channels. The programme content for these broadcasts is obtained from US sources.

With news broadcasters reaching an agreement with the IPL top brass, telecast of the matches in the third edition of the Indian Premier League that were in limbo, will now go on stream. The news broadcasters have been observing a boycott calling the IPL norms on telecast arbitrary.

The timing for striking a deal between the warring parties came about as perfect. The IPL tourney is to get underway in a few hours, with the first match to begin between 2009 champions Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders in Navi Mumbai. The tussle between broadcasters and the League authorities was triggered as a clause in the telecast rights schedule had read that non-rights broadcasters could air the footages only half an hour after a match. Besides, the norm on maximum fresh footage that could be used by them was another area of contention. However, with the agreement now in place, things are back on track.

The new guidelines issued by the League top brass say that there has to be a minimum of a 10-minute delay from the live telecast by the official broadcaster before telecast of any match footage by a news broadcaster. An exception solves the matter further. It has been pointed out that news broadcasters will be allowed to telecast an exceptional event, which means an exceptional occurrence during the matches, with a minimum of a five-minute delay from the conclusion of the live telecast of such exceptional event. The IL has spelt out a 15-point charter too. As per the guidelines, “news and current affairs broadcasters will be allowed a maximum of 5.5 minutes of ‘fresh footage’ per match in a day, including not more than 4.5 minutes of deferred live coverage of match play and not more than 1.5 minutes of deferred in-stadium entertainment footage”. News channels also can use a total of two minutes of footage per half an hour of broadcast, provided that it is not more than 5.5 minutes of fresh footage per match.

An agreement has reached accordingly. Yet another allowance the news broadcasters get is the provision to a maximum of two repeats of footage initially broadcast by the news broadcaster. This would be permitted in each hour of broadcast.

With the hurdles now removed, broadcast of the matches though with a few minutes of delay is fir sure. The cricket enthusiasts are now back in front of their television sets.

To start with, the two new TV channels will be available only on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform of Tata Sky, Discovery Networks said in a statement.

Discovery Science has been described as a family-oriented channel. It will broadcast programmes which provide an “overview of how science and technology affect people’s daily life,” according Discovery Networks.

The entertainment programmes to be aired on the Discovery Science television channel will include topics like research, discoveries, human body, genetics, exploration, astronomy, space, and advances in the medical field.

Discovery Turbo will broadcast programmes related to cars, motorbikes, trucks, trains, aircraft, and yachts. The TV channel targets viewers who are “upscale males” and are interested in watching programmes on Formula One racing and other motoring events, motor clubs and trends, and celebrity motoring profiles, Discovery Networks said in the statement.

In August 2009, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific had obtained permission from India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to broadcast three more channels in India. These three channels are Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, and Discovery HD.

According to Rahul Johri, senior-vice president and general manager-India, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, OneAlliance is working on distributing the Discovery Turbo and Discovery Science channels. The telecast of the two channels will start with the DTH of Tata Sky, but the channels will eventually be available on the other DTH platforms, too.

All the Discovery channels being aired in India at present – Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and Discovery Travel and Living – have Indian content. Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo will start with total international content, Rahul Johri said. But, as it was with the Discovery Travel and Living channel, more Indian content will be added to Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo as the two channels “mature,” Johri explained.

Both the Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo TV channels will be free of advertisement for the time being. The channels will carry advertisements after a few months, according to Rahul Johri.

The 3 existing networks of Discovery in India – Discovery Channel (a factual entertainment channel), Animal Planet (dedicated to wildlife), and Discovery Travel and Living (international lifestyle channel) – offer content in English, Hindi and Tamil languages to about 116 million cumulative subscribers.

The season 3 of the Bigg Boss television reality show, to be hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, is all set for the small screen.

The Bigg Boss season 3 will take off on October 4, 2009, and will be telecast daily at 9 p.m.

The initial season of Bigg Boss was a huge hit, making all the housemates house-hold names in India. Rakhi Sawant, who was a starlet till then, went on to milk it to the full becoming a celebrity in her own right. Housemates voted her out, but she was brought back on popular demand.

The second season of Bigg Boss was hosted by Big Brother UK winner Shilpa Shetty. Compared to the first season, the second season was relatively a bore. However, there was interest because of Rahul Mahajan, son of late Promad Mahajan in the show and his rumoured love interest in another housemate, Monica Bedi, ex-partner of gangster Abu Salem.

Amitabh Bachchan, who plays the role of ‘Pop Philosopher’ on the show, will make his appearance on Fridays and Saturdays. He will play the role of a connecting link between the show’s viewers and housemates (participants) – by performing such duties as analysing the developments in the house, decoding the show participants’ behaviour as well as acting as a sounding board for the housemates.

And, with the Bigg Boss season 3, Amitabh Bachchan is making his comeback to the television in India after a break of nearly 4 years. Latest story about Amitabh Bachchan from this site

The TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, has been a huge success in early 2000. The reality show set had records on the Indian TV, and the lion’s share of the credit went to Bachchan, making him an icon on the small screen, too. Kaun Banega Crerepati was later hosted by Shah Rukh Khan.

In an interview to CNN-IBN, the Big B spoke about his comeback to the TV, on the concept of the Bigg Boss reality show as also on why he was “intrigued” by the show.

He explained that the Bigg Boss reality show is one that has “intrigued me immensely as a viewer” because of its format, the contestants, and the psychological battle in the house. “My role,” Amitabh Bachchan told CNN-IBN in the interview, “gives me the chance to help viewers comprehend emotions and the simple philosophies of life.”

Bachchan said in the interview he felt that it was “unusual” to make 13 people live in a very enclosed area for as long as 3 months. “I wondered what would go on in their mind and heart, what would their behaviour be in such strenuous circumstances, and I thought it would be interesting to study each one of them or the ones who get evicted,”

However, reports say that Annu Kapoor will not be there for the Bigg Boss season 3.

Annu Kappor has been quoted as saying that she was invited to appear in the third edition of the Bigg Boss, but he declined the offer.

Annu Kapoor – who became very popular by hosting the singing reality show Antakshari – reportedly said that appearing on the Bigg Boss 3 would be “against his ethics” and that participating in that kind of a show “went against my culture.” “I can’t compromise with my values because of the Bigg Boss,” Annu Kapoor was quoted as explaining.

The grapevine has it that experienced actress Loveleen Mishra, who played Chutki in the hit show Hum Log in 1984, is likely to participate in the Bigg Boss season 3.

It is also rumoured that actress Poonam Dhillon too has been invited to participate.

There are some rumours that the Colors TV channel is actively trying to get former Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna to participate in Bigg Boss 3. However, there is no independent confirmation of the same. The Rajesh Khanna of today is hardly the lovable superstar of yesterday – however his presence might get a lot of people to watch Bigg Boss 3 out of curiosity. At this point, however, let’s treat it as just a rumour.

In the promotional campaign of the Bigg Boss season 3, while the first part announced the Bigg Boss’s arrival with Amitabh Bachchan, the second part sought suggestions from viewers as to who they wanted to see their iconic actor in the house.

The other promotional drives included Bachchan him “questioning and understanding” on the varied aspects of the reality show – like, for example, asking viewers whether they can live away from their children for as many as 80 days.

A music video, in which Amitabh Bachchan both acts and sings, is to be telecast soon.

Bloomberg TV is a worldwide leader in business news, while UTVi, the business news channel from UTV is a laggard in the Indian business news channel space with about 10% market share.

Bloomberg was earlier reported to be in talks with NDTV Profit, another business news channel in India. A press release issued by Bloomberg said that Bloomberg UTV will provide what it called “unsurpassed real-time business, economic and political news to households across India.”

Bloomberg and UTV did not specify whether Bloomberg UTV will be merely a content and distribution sharing partnership, or whether the news channel deal has an investment angle too. According to rules regarding foreign news companies, joint venture news companies – both print and television – can have a maximum of 24% equity holding by the foreign company. The balance 76% stake must remain with Indian promoters.

Bloomberg TV is owned by Bloomberg LP, the New York-based business news conglomerate. Apart from providing business data through its twin-screen Bloomberg terminals, Bloomberg also operates a news wire service, and publishes Bloomberg Markets. The company is owned by Michael Bloomberg, currently the mayor of New York City.

A Bloomberg press release in PR Newswire attributed “remarkable breadth and depth of reporting for the Indian market” for UTV. However, UTVi commands barely 10% share of the all-India business news channel market. ET Now, promoted by Bennett, Coleman and CO Ltd (Which also publishes Times of India and Economic Times) has 11%, while NDTV Profit has 22%. The market leader of the business news channel segment is CNBC TV18 which has 58%.

BCCL already has a content tie-up with Reuters for Times Now and ET Now. TV-18 partners CNBC, while UTVi already has a a financial investor in Walt Disney Co. NDTV Profit doesnt have any similar content partnership. It is not clear if Bloomberg will buy an equity stake in UTV, since it already has a financial partnership with UTVi, the business channel from UTV was started by Ronnie Screwvalla, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur.

Bloomberg TV has an international audience of about 200 million households. With its content now coming to UTVi, the audience expands by 30 million Indian viewers.

Business channel mindscape in India has been dominated for long by CNBC-TV18, the news channel from Raghav Bahl’s TV-18. It was joined by NDTV Profit, which has failed to make a major dent. A couple of years back, UTVi was launched. This year, the latest aspirant ET Now has entered the scene.

It is estimated that in India, 15 million televisions are added every year, which makes business channel space in India an attractive proposition for Bloomberg.

Bloomberg seems to be in an overdrive to expand. The company hired Andy Lack to look after its multimedia business in June. As recently as yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company is bidding to buy Business Week, the weekly business news magazine published by McGraw Hill group.

Said Andy Lack, CEO of Bloomberg’s Multimedia group. “By working with UTV to realize our shared vision for business and financial television, Bloomberg renews its commitment to delivering business, economic and political news and analysis to viewers in India, and at the same time to delivering news about one of the world’s most dynamic economies to investors across the globe.”

The comic is owned and published by Teshkee Media Group, Kuwait.

The production of The 99 series will start in January 2009. The major elements of production of the series will be undertaken by Sanraa Media where as the day-to-day production work will taken care of by Endemol. The 99, a 3D animation series, will comprise of 26 episodes.

“Under the agreement, the entire production for the 3D Animated Series, comprising 26 episodes, will be done by Sanraa Media and day-to-day production will be overseen by Endemol,” the company said.

“The co-production deal also entitles Sanraa Media to the rights of distributing the series in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand,” said Sanraa director Sukumar Subramanian.

The deal also mentions that the series distribution rights in the territories of India, Srilanka, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia will be claimed by Sanraa and the distribution process for the rest of the world will be overseen by Endemol International, the world-wide licensing and distribution leg of Endemol. The first series will commence in January 2009 and will end by 2010.

Endemol is owned by a consortium comprising Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, Mediaset Group and Cyrte Group.

The 99 revolves around 99 superheroes who work together to combal evils and undergo many adventures in the process. All the superheroes are from 99 different countries.

Each superhero upholds one out of 99 global values such as wisdom, mercy, strength or faithfulness.

The U.S based production major Turner International now intends to enter the GEC (General Entertainment Channel) genre in India. The Turner group is now in a joint venture with the Alva Brothers Entertainment and has formed a new company called Real Global Broadcasting. This will be their first project in the GEC and promises to grab the attention of Indian viewers.

Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific Inc. president Steve Marcopoto said that they are excited to take their next step with Alva Brothers Entertainment and with the launch of Real –  their upcoming channel, they feel that India is one of their biggest growth opportunities and that they are now in a position to grab a decent share of the market.

Real’s differentiation is based on its approach to the manner in which it draws on ‘Real People’ and ‘Real Stories’ to create ‘Real Entertainment’ ” says the Alva Brothers Entertainment co-promoter and director Niret Alva. He also added that the channel has been specifically concocted for ‘Neo Indians’ who are urban oriented and broad minded.

The channel “REAL”  will go air in March 2009 and assures that Real will be successful with the young Indian Television viewers who will have a penchant for their daily soaps like “Vicky Ki Taxi” and “Hindi Hai Hum” and reality shows like “Sarkar Ki Duniya “ and “ Poker face”.

Vicky plays the reluctant protagonist in “Vicky Ki Taxi” with lots of twists and turns as the story progresses.
“Hindi Hai Hum” on the other hand tries to bring into people’s attention the power of unity among the youthful Indians.

Real is a digitally encrypted channel and will be available on various digital platforms and cable systems. Zee turner bouquet will be their distributors and the channel can be down linked from IntelSat-10.

RGM will begin their marketing and advertisements for their newly introduced channel from mid-February 2009.

Another English channel for India by the Turner International group which was supposed to be launched by the end of 2008 is delayed. When asked about the genre of their next release, Marcoopto replied that the new channel would be a mix of Hollywood movies and popular serials, while HBO featured more of Hollywood blockbusters. He added that the channel would be positioned differently for a different set of audiences.

Turner International already operates channels like CNN, HBO, POGO and Cartoon Network in India.

With the Hindi language channels raking in the ratings, the high profile English news channels saw themselves in the back-seat though the coverage of the terror attack was possibly better on the English channels than the Hindi channels.

An Indian financial newspaper has reported that Mumbai-based online ratings agency aMap, which did a study on November 26 and 27, found that Hindi news channels had recorded a viewership of 6-7 per cent of the total cable and TV homes, that is with people above 15 years of age, between 9 pm and 11pm.

Meanwhile, the English news channels saw viewership stay put at 0.8-1 per cent. A day before, the average viewership of the Hindi news channel was 1 to 2 per cent, it said. Viewers who are in the age group of 15 years and above across the country, except the data from Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa were compiled for the study. There are an estimated 80 million cable and satellite homes in the whole of India.

Going into the details, the agency has clarified that Aaj Tak stood on top by bagging a gross rating point (GRP) of 28.8 on November 27. This is 7.9 more than what was recorded a day before. Meanwhile, India TV grossed 21 GRP, Star News 20.6, IBN7 17.5 and NDTV India 10.2. GRP means the total television rating points generated in a day.

Besides these numbers, aMap reports have been quoted as saying that even on the parameters of market share in Hindi news, Aaj Tak recorded a high 5.2 per cent, up from 1.5 per cent the previous day. There was also a 3-4 fold increase in the market share of most leading Hindi news channels including India TV, which stood at 3.8 per cent, Star News (3.7 per cent) IBN7 (3.1 per cent), and NDTV India (1.8 per cent).