( 9 January 2007 2:00 pm )

MUMBAI: The Korean Broadcasting Commission (KBC) and the BBC are backing Miptv's Content 360, the international competition to commission innovative, interactive content and applications for mobile and broadband.

The event is a part of Miptv featuring Milia, which takes place in Cannes between 16 to 20 April.

WPP's OgilvyOne Worldwide is partnering the competition for the first time, alongside returning partner National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

Content 360 provides the opportunity for international multimedia and application developers to present original ideas which fully exploit the creative potential of new digital platforms and maximise the interaction between audiences and broadcast television. The call for entries is now open, with winners of the competition sharing €100,000 in development funding, asserts an official release.

KBC director Jinny Kwak said, "DMB has created a whole new culture where people are creating new lifestyles by experiencing completely different forms of broadcasting. At Content 360, KBC hopes to serve as a fresh motivation for new media platforms, such as DMB, to create and develop their own unique content."

"The BBC wants to build relationships with the most creative companies out there and together deliver successful services across all new media platforms. This explains our involvement from the inception of the Content 360 competition," says Jonathan Kingsbury, Head of External Supply, BBC New Media and Technology.

Milia director Ted Baracos added, "Content 360 brings together the creative ideas and digital applications which are key ingredients in the new multi-platform world. As part of Miptv featuring Milia, it also provides an unparalleled networking and financing opportunity between traditional and new media."

Content 360 entrants have time till 9 February to respond to written briefs provided across various categories, each of which has its own specific criteria as established by the event partners.

KBC will reward the best entry in the cross-platform formats including DMB (mobile TV-centric) category and NFB is offering co-production financing for innovative new forms of socially responsive media. The BBC categories include : localness on bbc.co.uk, children's content, cross-platform documentary, teenage drama and entertainment, and on-demand participation. OgilvyOne Worldwide has created a cross-media brand marketing category.

Mint Digital Ltd Tim Morgan said, "Last year's Content 360 was truly a great opportunity for a creative and technology company like ours to engage the global TV industry. Before Content 360, Mint Digital was a web design company. After Content 360, Mint Digital became a leading provider of social and user-generated web applications with new relationships with broadcasters and producers from around the world."

Content 360 finalists will promote their projects during a series of pitching sessions in front of a panel of key decision-makers. The competition winners will be announced on 19 April during the Content 360 zapping show.

In addition to the pitching competition, Content 360 will focus on creative conferences such as learning from games, impact of virtual reality, tools and platforms enabling user-generated content, video search and social communities, adds the release.

The Content 360 initiative also includes a dedicated pavilion for networking between digital creators and the international TV industry executives attending the Miptv featuring Milia exhibition.