MUMBAI: Television trade event MipTV has announced that Discovery president, CEO David Zaslav will present a keynote address on 9 April, as part of MipTV?s Media Mastermind keynotes series. Organised by Reed Midem, MipTV will take place in Cannes from 8-11 April, 2013.

Zaslav sets the strategy and oversees all operations of the non-fiction media company that reaches more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in nearly 220 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to igniting curiosity and delivering the thrill of discovery through more than 150 worldwide television networks and a leading portfolio of digital media properties that attract approximately 25 million unique visitors per month.

At MipTV, Zaslav will discuss the global content environment, recent international M&A activity and his strategy for continued growth at the world?s largest pay-TV programmer.

Prior to Discovery, Zaslav had a career at NBC Universal. In 2007, he received a Trustees Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Natas).

Under Zaslav?s leadership, in September 2008 Discovery began trading as a public company on the Nasdaq stock exchange and has since delivered average double-digit profit growth over the past five years.

MUMBAI: Universal Television, a channel of US media conglomerate NBC Universal, has signed a first-look development deal with Eva Longoria for ?Desperate Housewives?, it was announced jointly byNBC Entertainment president, alternative, late night programming Paul Telegdy and NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke.

Terms include a non-writing, executive producer agreement with Longoria and her production company, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment.

Telegdy said, "Having Eva Longoria on our team is a huge advantage for our Alternative program development as we have pleasantly discovered in implementing her ideas for ?Ready for Love,? which is shaping up as a terrific and upbeat series. She is passionate, fully engaged and has keen instincts for putting together a winning formula for her shows that always bear her imprint."

Salke said, "We know that this new agreement with Eva Longoria is significant in continuing what has already been a productive relationship. She has exceptional energy, vision, a prestigious name and the creative knack for finding compelling new concepts for our growing studio."

Longoria said, "I am thrilled and excited to join Universal Television on what promises to be a wonderful and creative partnership, especially given all of the recent success at both the studio and the NBC network. The collaboration between UTV and my production company, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, on our ?Ready for Love? project has been extraordinary. Looking ahead it will be fun to find and develop unique scripted and non-scripted shows that excite television audiences."

MUMBAI: TV networks in the US, Fox, NBC Universal and CBS, have separately sued satellite broadcaster Dish Network to battle the latter?s ad-skipping DVR service AutoHop service that allows consumers to skip television ads.

At the same time, Dish has taken a step to protect its new service by filing a lawsuit against Fox, NBC, CBS and ABC, although ABC has not sued Dish. The network provider sought a "declaratory judgment" that its AutoHop feature is legal arguing, "viewers have been skipping commercials since the advent of the remote control."

Since 10 May, Dish has been advertising a digital video recorder service called ?Primetime Anytime? that gives consumers access to the last eight days of prime-time programming from the four major broadcast networks - ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox - sans the commercials.

Fox released a statement saying that Dish?s service may "destroy the fundamental underpinnings of the broadcast television ecosystem." It added that the wrongheaded decision requires Fox to take swift action in order to aggressively defend the future of free, over-the-air television.

NBC also released a statement explaining that advertisements generate the revenue that makes it possible for local broadcast stations and national broadcast networks to pay for the creation of the news, sports and entertainment programming. The statement further said that Dish did not have the "authority to tamper" with the ads from broadcast replays on a "wholesale basis for its own economic and commercial advantage".

According to CBS, this service takes existing network content and modifies it in a manner that is "unauthorized" and "illegal" making it a clear violation of copyright law.

According to TV ratings and research provider Nielsen, about 40 per cent of the 115 million television households in the US have a DVR. About 8.4 per cent of all TV viewing among adults aged 18 to 34 last year constituted watching programs on DVR which is an increase from about 7.9 per cent in 2010.

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBC UnIversal‘s women focussed channel The Style Network has announced the formation of Style Media, a new global, multimedia content company that will broaden its focus to programme and market to all facets of consumers‘ lives, from the way they view content, to how they consume information, to the experts they rely on for tips and advice.

New and expanded growth areas include digital, mobile, licensing and merchandising, brand experiences, and domestic and international television networks. The details were unveiled by Style Media president Salaam Coleman Smith.

Coleman Smith said, "Style is a powerful brand that resonates with women on multiple platforms and across the globe. The creation of Style Media will broaden our business and allow us to capitalise on Style‘s strong consumer base of savvy women with immense purchasing power. On the heels of record-breaking success at The Style Network we want to seize the momentum and ensure that Style Media allows our viewers to experience Style in a multi-dimensional manner."

At Style Media‘s core is the creative and transformational television content found on Style, which marked its best first quarter in network history in 2012 with women 18-49. The addition of the following business divisions will enable fans and viewers to engage with the network and talent in a variety of ways:

Style Digital: Style Digital, which includes myStyle.com and various social media platforms, expands the brand promise of fueling women‘s insatiable appetites for all things style, by providing companion resources on the user‘s journey through stylish living. With approachable solutions through original content and partnerships from experts and trendsetters, Style Digital will satisfy the user‘s need to always be in the know.

Style‘s current success is anchored by its social media reach as well as industry-leading user engagement. Style claims to attract more than 10 million social followers from Twitter and Facebook, which are driven by how-to beauty tips seen by nearly one million Twitter followers of @myStyleQuickTips, and popular TV series that attract digital savvy audiences and on-air talent who engage with fans on a year-round basis.

Style‘s hit series are experiencing spectacular growth with unique users for returning series up over 30 per cent in 2012, and in some cases their social footprints have increased dramatically as evidenced by "Big Rich Texas" more than tripling its Twitter following since the end of its first season. In addition to great success in the social sphere, myStyle.com attracts one of the most loyal user bases among cable network websites, outperforming other women‘s networks in "return visit" rate by 48 per cent.

Uniquely positioned for tremendous growth, Style Media‘s campaign to re-launch its digital properties, including myStyle.com, will take advantage of the latest advances in technology through adaptive, liquid and responsive user interfaces, using whatever device available, from desktop to tablet to mobile. In addition, Style Digital plans to enhance the way in which viewers experience Style shows with dynamic, narrative and interactive second screen experiences, including more talent live chats, social TV initiatives and a second screen-viewing app.

Style Licensing and Merchandising: Style Media will produce branded products for their passionate consumer base through lines inspired by Style shows as well as the style category overall. In addition, Style will create talent-inspired products, from clothes to beauty, which will be integrated into show storylines, and offered to consumers for purchase at myStyle.com.

Style International: Style has channels in the UK, Australia and Pan Regional, which include Pan Asian and Europe, Middle East and Africa. Currently, Style International extends to over 17 million subscribers in 90 countries and nine languages with over 900 hours of programming licensed worldwide.

MUMBAI: US non fiction media company Discovery continues with its restructuring exercisehas announced the appointment of Liz Claiborne and former General Electric/NBC Universal executive Andrew Warren to the position of senior executive VP, CFO.

Warren will join Discovery on 26 March. He succeeds Brad Singer who previously announced that he is leaving Discovery at the end of March.

As part of a larger restructuring following the elimination of the COO position as of 31 December 2011, the company also today announced a realignment of corporate functions under several current senior executives, effective immediately.
 
David Leavy has been promoted to the position of chief communications officer and senior executive VP, corporate marketing and affairs, reporting to president, CEO David Zaslav.

In his new role, Leavy adds centralised marketing functions, including Corporate Research and Consumer Insights, Media Planning and Partnerships, Corporate Marketing, and Discovery Creative, the company‘s in-house creative services group, to his existing responsibilities for Global Communications and Corporate Affairs. T

The new organisation will focus on further amplifying Discovery‘s messaging, promotion and research initiatives around the world.

Discovery chief development officer, general counsel Bruce Campbell said business affairs and global production management to his portfolio, with executive VP, global production management and business affairs Lee Bartlett, will be reporting to him.

Campbell retains his existing responsibilities leading global business development, strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions, and overseeing all legal affairs and litigation for the company.

In his expanded role, Campbell will work with Bartlett to continue attracting top producers and on-air talent for Discovery‘s networks and increasing the company‘s presence in the creative television community.

Discovery chief digital officer JB Perrette said he will oversee Discovery‘s Enterprise Operational Services department as leader of the company‘s digital strategy, including Discovery‘s US websites (ex: Discovery.com, TLC.com, and HowStuffWorks.com, etc.), Interactive Technology and Digital Operations and Programming, as well as the company‘s digital distribution efforts with non-traditional affiliates (ex: Apple, Netflix, Amazon, etc.).

Perrette also is responsible for Discovery Commerce, including Licensing, Home Entertainment and Footage and Music Services.

The new structure aligns Discovery‘s digital assets, social media platforms and information technology services in a single organisation to focus on opportunities presented by emerging technologies.

Discovery Networks International (DNI) executive VP, chief content officer Luis Silberwasser said he will have responsibilities over US network Velocity, which also include leading DNI‘s production and development unit and overseeing the international rollout of TLC.

Velocity senior VP Bob Scanlon will now report to Silberwasser. Together, they will leverage the international appeal of the men‘s lifestyle genre to develop content to drive Velocity and other men‘s lifestyle brands around the world.

Zaslav said, "Having worked extensively with Andy at NBC Universal, know firsthand what an effective and strategic leader he is, how knowledgeable and passionate he is about the media business, and what a great addition he will be to our already strong senior management team . With Andy on board, and with the strategic realignments we announced today, I am confident that Discovery is very well positioned to continue delivering on our strategy for sustainable long-term growth in the U.S. and around the world with a lean and efficient structure that best deploys our outstanding talent and resources."

As CFO, Warren will be responsible for leading the global financial functions and strategies of the company and will direct all accounting, treasury, budgeting and tax activities.

In addition to serving on Discovery‘s executive committee and contributing to the overall strategic direction of the company, Warren also will oversee Discovery‘s Media Technology, Production & Operations division, and will represent the company in its three US joint ventures, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net.

CSS Studios, Discovery‘s creative post-production sound services company, also will report to Warren.