Sony’s Marketing & Expansion Plans In India
Sony India has earmarked Rs. 10 crores to promote its W series of MP3 players and add 2000 retail outlets. It will also launch more products to reach its target of 30% of the market share. The company sold 85,000 units last year and had a market share of 20%. (Business Standard)
Our Take: Sony sorely needs a pick me up – its PS3 has not made a splash and its camera sales must have also been hit by the cameraphone trend. Maybe what Sony needs to perk up its mp3 player sales is a tie up with one of the online music stores such as Hungama’s upcoming one?
DoT Suggests Permanent Licenses
Cellular service licenses could be made permanent, if TRAI okays DoT’s proposal. The licenses currently are for a 20 year period and are renewed every decade. Initially, cellular licenses and unified access licenses will be considered for this change. TRAI has been asked to recommend terms and conditions for extending the licence periods forever. (Business Standard)
Our Take: It is a good move that will help smoothen the government-telco relationship. Less red tape is always better.
DQ Entertainment To Make Animated TV Series On Lassie; Scouting For Acquisitions
The rights to the golden haired canine collie character Lassie have been bought off US-based Classic Media Inc by the Hyderabad based animation company DQ Entertainment, which is listed on the London stock exchange. It will co-develop the 3D animation series with M6 Studio in France and ZDF in Germany. The 26 half-hour-episode TV series which will be released in Q3 this fiscal. It is also scouting for companies in US, Canada and Europe to acquire them. The acquisitions would help it bag co-production deals with European entertainment firms. (SmallCap News & TelevisionPoint )
Our Take: Having more European offices will be advantageous to the company – but it is something other Indian animation companies are also doing, so competition for outsourced project will continue.
Turner International Appoints Troy Lobo As Dir, Wireless Dev
Lobo, in his new role as Director of Wireless Development, Interactive Content and Development for South Asia, will be responsible for driving the mobile and internet strategies for Turner’s properties – POGO, WB, Cartoon Network and news channel CNN. (Animation Express)
Sify Partners With Cisco To Launch Managed Services
Sify, in partnership with networking company Cisco, will launch managed services for enterprises. The new MPLS and Internet services are first of a series of other managed services the company plans to launch over the next 2 years. The managed services offered will enable more enterprises to outsource their IP communications. (Business Standard)
