iWorld
DMB operator TU Media Corp starts mobile TV service trial
MUMBAI: Watching television on mobile phones through satellite while travelling in a car or a train. That is what Korean digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) operator TU Media Corp is looking to achieve. It has started a trial mobile television service through satellite. Samsung Electronics made a related statement saying that it will launch the first DMB mobile phone in Korea.
Media reports state that the advantage of DMB is its versatility. Through a DMB service, viewers can watch video clips and listen to radio programmes transmitted via satellite to mobile phones, PDAs, or car monitors.
TU Media is trying out nine out of a total of 35 DMB channels. There are three video channels – YTN news, CJ Media??s M-net, and a drama channel. There are also six audio channels playing the latest Korean pop, US pop, Korean oldies, American oldies, chart toppers, and Jazz & World.
The company issued a staement saying that during the test run, it will make sure that the machines and system operate smoothly, and find out the most common places and time periods for customers to use the service. In accordance with Korea Broadcasting Commission regulations and policies, TU Media will roll out the full-scale service in May.
Customers of SK Telecom which claims to be Korea’s largest mobile operator, can access the television services after purchasing Samsung.’s new SCH-B100 mobile phone. This features a 2.2-inch liquid-crystal display and a battery capable of providing more than two hours of viewing time.
The challenge that TU Media will face is that its satellite-based mobile television services is a concept being done for the first time. So there are no past experiences to learn from.
For its commercial service, TU Media plans to provide 14 video and 24 audio channels with a data channel scheduled for release next year. The company has completed building its central broadcast center and installed 4,800 gap-fillers across Korea last year. Reports indicate that it plans to invest 705 $667 million over the next five years to develop mobile content and expand programme production facilities.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
