iWorld
Intelsat carries HDTV programming from Antarctica to Japan
MUMBAI: NHK, a pioneer in HDTV, is broadcasting environmentally focused programming from the Showa base in Antarctica back to households in Japan.
An official release informs that using Intelsat’s capacity and Japan Telecom’s antenna facilities, NHK has set up their HDTV “Hi-Vision” Broadcasting Center in the Antarctic and is using the Intelsat 904 satellite located at 60’E to carry a variety of environmentally-themed programmes aimed at increasing public awareness of the global environment.
The first HD feed from the Showa base in Antarctica occurred at 200 p.m. on 1 February to commemorate the exact time when Japanese TV broadcasting was launched 50 years earlier on NHK, and in conjunction with the launch of Intelsat’s Occasional Video Services network.
The release states that Japan Telecom is utilising a series of short-term video leases from Intelsat, receiving the content at their Kamiyamaguchi earth station in Japan and forwarding it to NHK’s studios in Tokyo. They consulted with Intelsat engineers extensively and conducted over 30 hours of testing on the satellite to ensure a high-quality signal. Additionally, they supplied a flyaway antenna suitable for operation in harsh environments and secured over 100 hours of transmission time on the 904 satellite.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
