MUMBAI: Megahertz (MHz), an international independent systems integrator, will be highlighting the success of its latest integrated turnkey solutions on the Shaf Broadcast Pvt. Ltd stand at BES EXPO 2010 (Hall 11A, Stands 5 to 9) being held in the Pragati Maidan Exhibition Centre, January 29-31 2010.

MHz?s success in India is due to a combination of local skilled staff supported by the global expertise that MHz brings to deliver on large production workflow projects. MHz ensures additional cost-efficiencies are achieved by hiring local wiremen, electrical technicians and engineers who worked alongside the MHz specialists to successfully deliver the project on time and within budget. The results are clearly evident in some of the recently completed HD studio and file-based workflows at newsroom including those at the Times Group India and Mahaa TV. 

Building on these recent achievements in India, BES EXPO will see MHz highlight its expertise across engineering planning, project management, design, product evaluation, through to commissioning, training and support and IT services. These services alongside additional value added in-house capabilities that include CAD design, wiring, coach building and cabinet making, ideally position MHz for delivering end-to-end HD solutions to its global customers.

?We have a clear understanding of our customer?s business objectives which enables us to deliver the best matched technical and operation solutions to meet their needs,? said Robert Stopford, Sales Director of Megahertz. ?We work closely with Shaf, our partner in India, to ensure that our customers receive a first-rate local level of service and support ? and this has been instrumental to our success in the region.?

Part of the AZCAR Group, one of the worlds largest and longest-established independent broadcast systems integrators, MHz plays a significant role in designing and delivering innovative solutions to the world?s leading broadcasters, telecommunication and digital media companies.
 

MUMBAI: For over fifty years, Music?s Biggest Night?, the GRAMMY Awards?, has celebrated the music and artists that have touched the hearts and souls of people all over the world. Now, the 2010 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards, to be held on 1st February, 2010, is poised to carry on the incredible tradition that has helped make the annual, 3?-hour STAR World special the world?s most popular television musical event for over three decades! STAR World invites its viewers to cheer the Indian nominees and be a part of the massive musical gathering on 1st Feb at 6.30am LIVE on STAR World!

The Grammy awards has always been a spectacular mix of exhilarating performances, exciting productions and exceptional ratings, with almost every major international music star appearing and/or performing on the show. This year?s show will witness the performances of well known international musicians who are also this year?s nominees like Bon Jovi, Beyonc?, the Black Eyed Peas, the Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Maxwell, P!nk, Taylor Swift, and the Zac Brown Band. Other nominees this year include Kayne .West, Jay Z, David Guetta, Kings of Leon, Bruce Springsteen and Keith Urpan. 

The Indian Nominations for Grammys include musical wizards like A R Rahman, Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. The track ?Jai Ho?, which got Rahman two Academy awards and a Golden Globe, has been nominated in the category of Best Song written for Motion Picture, Television or Other visual media. Rahman has also been nominated in the category of ?Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other visual Media for Slumdog Millionaire. Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has been nominated for the 52nd Grammy award in the Best Classical Crossover album category for the album ?The Melody of Rhythm?. "The Melody of Rhythm" consists of artists like Leonard Slatkin, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer apart from Zakir Hussain. Rahim AlHaj and Amjad Ali Khan have been honoured by the Recording Academy with a 2010 Grammy Nomination in the Best Traditional World Music Category for their CD ?Ancient Sound?.

any well known international artistes like Kristen Bell, Justin Bieber, Jeff Bridges, Miley Cyrus, Josh Duhamel, The Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Ke$Ha, Ll Cool J, Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana, and Ringo Starr are the first presenters that have been announced for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. While the three and a half hour event will air LIVE from the Staples Centre, Los Angeles at 6.30am on 1st Feb, STAR World viewers can catch a repeat of the same at 6.30 pm on the same day. The show will also have a weekend repeat on 7th Feb at 6.30pm.

Be there for more of the ?next 50 years? when the world?s brightest music stars light up the stage again on television?s most prestigious annual music event ? The 2010 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards; Monday 1st Feb LIVE at 6.30am only on STAR World!
 

MUMBAI: Visual Computing Labs (VCL), a division of Tata Elxsi Ltd and a leading animation and visual communications studio, has bagged two coveted honors for mind blowing animation and visual effects at the 56th National Film Awards for 2008. Roadside Romeo, India?s first purely-entertainment animated theatrical motion picture, created by Tata Elxsi Ltd.?s Visual Computing Labs (VCL) division has won the ?Best Animation Film? National Award for its technical achievements to further the craft of animation for mainstream audience. Mumbai Meri Jaan has won the ?Best Special Effects? award for the stunning use of technical effects of visual shorts to mirror a man-made disaster.

Instituted by the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, these National Awards for VCL are a fitting testimony to the kind of high end animation and visual effects work that VCL has become synonymous with over the years. This is the second instance where VCL has won a National Film Award. VCL had previously won the ?Best Special Effects? honor at the 53rd National Film awards for the super-hit Tamil movie Anniyan.
Expressing delight and commenting on the award wins, Mr. Pankaj Khandpur, Creative Director, VCL, Tata Elxsi Ltd said, ?This is an exhilarating moment for all of us at Tata Elxsi?s VCL. Our goal with Roadside Romeo was to create a quality production that would set the standard for future 3D animated Bollywood movies and we are happy to have achieved that. Indian animation has truly come a long way and with Roadside Romeo, we are happy to have advanced it to a totally new altitude.?
Roadside Romeo is the first in a series of original and exclusive 3D animated features to be tailor made for Indian audiences as part of the alliance between Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney where VCL is the animation partner. It is the story of a cute pet dog, Romeo, who was leading a happy life until the family decides to move. They abandon him on the mean streets of Mumbai. Romeo faces the hardship of a stray dog but with time, he adapts to the roadside life style, finds love and settles into a normal life. 

Roadside Romeo was released worldwide on October 24, 2008 and has since then received rave reviews on the quality of animation portrayed in the movie. VCL executed the complete visual design and animation for the movie which is a joint venture of Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney. Credit for film Roadside Romeo as under:

Pankaj Khandpur ? Creative Director

Sherry Bharda ? Creative Supervisor

Shrirang Sathaye ? Animation Director

Suhael Merchant ? Animation Director

Another invigorating work of VCL can be seen in the film Mumbai Meri Jaan, produced by UTV motion pictures. Mumbai Meri Jaan is based on Mumbai train blasts of July 11, 2006, the story deals with lives of 6 people in the aftermath of blast. VCL recreated the blast in CG bringing out the severity of incident. The depiction is seen to be photo real in nature to have the desired impact on audience. The work for this CG blast in the film was executed by VFX supervisor- Goverdhan Vigraham and Creative Director Pankaj Kandpur.

The 56th National Film Awards were announced on Saturday, 23rd January 2010 in New Delhi. The National Film Awards is administrated by the Indian government‘s Directorate of Film Festivals and is the most prominent film award ceremony in India, as also one of our country‘s oldest awards.
 

MUMBAI: It is not so unusual for companies to reward it?s A-raters with a professional membership, which is what a few months ago Lintas Media Group (LMG) did to encourage and enthuse their young professionals when as many as ten (10) youngsters were given the Young Professional memberships of the India Chapter of International Advertising Association (IC-IAA).

Last month as soon as IAA announced that the 42nd IAA World Congress is scheduled to be held in Moscow, Russian Federation, between May 12th and May14th, 2010, LMG decided to send two (2) of their Young Professional members to the Moscow Congress, at LMG?s cost, after a minor ?contest?.

In order to be selected they were asked to send in a five hundred word essay on why they think they should go to Moscow to attend this Congress. The winners were to be selected by a panel of three judges from the IAA India Chapter?s Board, and not any one from the agency, to rule out any biases. The entries, they were told, would be decided on the basis of innovation and creativity, expression of key LMG values, and overall communication quality of the submission.

The key LMG values were explained as - a strong performance orientation, and growth by collaboration.

The email IDs of the three eminent judges who are also Committee Members from India are also on the IAA World Board [Ms Pheroza Bilimoria - Managing Director, Business India Publications Ltd. and Hon. Secretary IAA World Board; Mr Pradeep Guha - Managing Director, Culture Company (I) Pvt. Ltd. and Immediate Past President and current Vice President & Area Director for IAA Asia Pacific Region and Mr Raj Nayak, CEO - NDTV Media Ltd. and President of the India Chapter of IAA] were shared with them and so that the 10 contestants could email their submissions directly by January 15, 2010.

Each mark sheet has been collected; collated and final scores have been compiled by the India Chapter of the IAA.

The same is now in a sealed envelope which will be opened and the winners would be announced at LMG?s annual conference in Pattaya on Friday the 29th January, 2010.

?There were stars in their eyes of LMG?s Young Professionals! They were thrilled that their words were read and judged by such distinguished people who are also on the IAA World Board?, said Ms Lynn de Souza, Chairman & CEO - Lintas Media Group and Honorary Secretary India Chapter of IAA.

Mr Raj Nayak said, ?This is a wonderful way to incentivise and persuade youngsters to push the envelope.? He also said that he was hopeful that more and more companies would be making them IAA young Professional Members and thereby giving them greater international exposure to the world of advertising and marketing.
 

MUMBAI: Keralam Samsarikkunnu , Amrita TV?s new talk show that will be telecast every Saturday at 6.30 pm(IST) and on Sunday at 9.30 pm(UAE ) is a current affairs discussion, featuring a group of guests, an assemblage of audience and a well known host, in which the guest panel and the invited audience take part in the discussion on an equal footing, under the moderating influence of the anchor.

Each weekly episode is built around an issue that is currently in circulation- which may be a grave environmental problem, a sensational social affair or an explosive political controversy . The theme helps provide a pointer to the list of guest invitees of the show, who have to be thoroughly familiar with the subject and its ramifications.

The show is anchored by a host whose enviable experience in television journalism and radio jockeying makes him the ideal choice to play the role of mediator . Popular amongst Gulf radio listeners as ?KK?, this Hit FM Radio Jockey was a well-known newsreader with Amrita TV before moving to Dubai. Krishna Kumar?s political acumen, quick wits and diplomatic skills, guarantee that the show will be kept on a lively track without allowing it to get out of hand.

The anchor opens the discussion with a short introduction to the topic of the day, poses a few pertinent queries to which the guests respond, after which the issue is put up for public debate. It is the turn of the audience to quiz them or raise doubts. The experts do their best to allay their fears and answer questions. As the atmosphere warms up and tempers get frayed , the anchor keeps things in check drawing in more and more members from the audience into the fray, until the entire guest panel and all the viewers are involved in the debate, so that Keralam Samsarikkunnu literally becomes a microcosm of the entire Kerala society.

What makes the show stand out is that the audience - instead of being a faceless mass who are silent observers of the deliberation - become an indispensable part of the show participating & contributing to the war of words. In contrast to other talk shows where the viewers are herded into a corner, here the audience and guests are seated together on the studio floor.

Keralam Samsarikkunnu gives an opportunity for the common man to raise issues directly to the concerned authorities, who in turn get to know the attitude of the general public at first hand. By helping them to vocalize their opinions, resentment and doubts, it becomes a venue where the Vox Populi can be heard loud and clear.

MUMBAI: Circa Aug 15th 1988, "Mile Sure Mera Tumhara" - The iconic song was premiered on Doordarshan and instantly became India‘s beloved melody. It featured many national icons of the time , including, Amitabh Bachchan, , Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Kamal Hassan, Balamurlikrishna, Lata Mangeshkar, Prakash Padukone, just to a name a few.

?Mile Sur Mera Tumhara? showcased the diversity of India to establish its message of unity. The song captivated and enthralled every Indian and an entire generation vividly recalls the iconic opening lines sung by Bharat Ratna Shri Pt. Bhimsen Joshi.

?Mile Sur Mera Tumhara? was conceptualized & conceived by the late Suresh Mullick of O & M Advertising.

Today, the message of the song and its concept are as relevant. ZoOm has therefore conceived and produced the Phir Mile Sur project which is an initiative of The Times of India Group and Vodafone Essar. Arti and Kailash Surendranath have once again recreated their magic with Phir Mile Sur. Other associates involved with this project include Kingfisher Airlines, Radio City 91.1 FM and Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

Phir Mile Sur was appropriately launched on the eve of Republic Day, at a grand event at the Taj Land‘s End, Mumbai. The film was released in the presence of various stars, celebrities and dignitaries including the legendary, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan.

More than 68 of India?s icons have lent their support to this initiative which has taken almost a year to create. It took more than 60 days of on-location shoot, across 15 cities of India, 30 days of post production, 22 of India?s biggest superstars, 18 of India?s best musicians, 13 of India?s best singers and dancers, 15 of India?s most renowned sports person to create this magnum opus. Each artist speaks of a cause and the video is shot at places which have historical value and significance.

Phir Mile Sur ?the song of India airs exclusively on ZoOm on 26 January, 7am and will be played out at the top of every hour thereafter. ZoOm?s partner network, Times Now will also air the program several times starting 26th January. Zoom has also given airing rights of the iconic song to all major TV and Radio networks in the country. Doordarshan with all its kendras is also expected to air the program.

Accentuating the need of the hour and further re-enforcing the initiatives of the Group, MD ? Times Group, Vineet Jain, added ?In the face of any issue, the nation has always looked to its leaders, its icons and its media to show them the way.

And we at Times Group have always taken pride in supporting change through positive re-enforcement using our mediums of news and infotainment which is why, when Zoom produced Phir Mile Sur using celebrities and music to culturally unify the youth of the nation, the Group fully supported this endeavor.

The song is like an alternative anthem and a rediscovery for todays younger demographic. An important lesson in harmony and unity using popular culture, in a trying time. We are proud to re-present Phir Mile Sur!

Speaking on their association with the project, Mr. Marten Pieters, Managing Director & CEO, Vodafone Essar, said, ?Phir Mile Sur captures the true spirit of contemporary India and will hopefully also resonate with new generations. As a responsible company, being part of this society, we are delighted to support this commendable endeavour.?

Phir Mile Sur has a freshness that reflects the enthusiasm of modern India, a tune and lyrics that every Indian today can relate to and which would further ignite the passion for India and its diversity. The languages are many, however Phir Mile Sur speaks a common and universal language - that of love for the motherland and its people.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Kailash Surendranath from KPC said, ?It has been an incredible journey creating ?Mile Sur Mera Tumhara? which was a mosaic of so many different personalities from various walks of life and regions in India. Today, we feel the same emotions gushing, after a span of two decades. So many things have changed in India - growth, prosperity, the economic scenario, however, as citizens of this wonderfully diverse country, our feelings for India have only grown stronger and we hope that Phir Mile Sur will further strengthen this bond. ?

With more than 40 million viewers, ZoOm is the destination for young India, says Suresh Bala, CEO of ZoOm. Besides, ZoOm is also India?s dominant Bollywood infotainment channel. And Bollywood has the greatest impact and influence on young India. These two features along with our Timesgroup pedigree make ZoOm the perfect home for Phir Mile Sur.

He further added, ?When we first conceived the project we found it daunting. But once again the biggest names of Bollywood, the music world, sports stars, regional superstars, all came forward to make this happen. We are deeply indebted to each and every one of them for their selfless contribution towards this project. I sincerely believe that young India will embrace this song and make it their own.?