Cellcast News
Cellcast to provide 22-country support for FremantleMedia's Arabic version of "The X-Factor"
23rd March 2006
Appointment builds on Cellcast's proven success in facilitating major regional interactive broadcast projects
Cellcast plc ( AIM:CLTV), a global interactive digital broadcaster, today announced that it has been appointed by FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide to facilitate and manage regional voting and mobile content distribution for the Arabic version of The X-Factor television series, to be aired on the pan-Arab satellite channel Rotana TV starting March 2006.
Fremantle's hugely successful talent search show, whose recently completed second series in the UK has been a massive ratings success for ITV, was voted the most popular entertainment programme of 2005 at the National Television Awards and has broken records in the UK for voting and internet downloads.
Cellcast will be responsible for telephony and wireless services, including voting and mobile content, across 22 countries within the Middle East, the Gulf States and North Africa, covering the 10-week series from 26 March through to 4 June 2006.
The appointment of Cellcast follows the Company’s success in managing the critical interactive elements of similar regional television shows over the past three years, including the three series of SuperStar, FremantleMedia’s Arabic version of Pop Idol which airs on Future TV, and Najm Al Khaleej, broadcast on Dubai TV and based on Reveille’s hit US series Nashville Star.
Pascal Dufour, Vice President Cellcast Middle East, said; “Once again, Cellcast is pioneering new solutions to meet the technical challenge of managing a voting window of less than three hours, aggregating results from 22 countries and over 35 GSM mobile operators. We are also excited to be part of the drive to broaden the content proposition, capturing the new opportunities created through the convergence of television, mobile and wireless media.”
Melissa Goodwin, VP of Licensing for EMEA at FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, said; "Audience participation is integral to TheX Factor format; it is essential to allow all viewers from 22 countries in the Middle East and Africa to interact with the show. It is crucial that every vote cast counts. We want our viewers to be confident that whether they call or text they are helping to propel their chosen contestant to stardom. We know that Cellcast has a proven track record and the expertise to deliver secure, high capacity, reliable voting mechanisms. Cellcast is fast becoming the leading player in the management of sophisticated voting platforms in the region for producers and broadcasters."
For further information:
Cellcast plc |
|
Andrew Wilson, CEO |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7190 0300 |
| andrew@cellcast.tv | www.cellcast.com |
Pascal Dufour, VP EMEA |
Tel: +961 (0) 373 0069 |
| pascal@cellcastme.com | www.cellcast.com |
Cellcast Media enquiries:
Abchurch |
|
Henry Harrison-Topham / Gareth Mead |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700 |
Notes to Editors:
Cellcast plc is a leading international provider of participation television applications and interactive mobile content in the fast-growing multi-platform digital entertainment sector. Headquartered in London, with associated operations in Paris, Beirut, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires, Cellcast’s applications and programming are distributed on the Sky Digital platform in the UK and broadcast partners include Canal+ in France; STB in Ukraine; Future TV, Dubai Television and Rotana TV in the Middle East; Zee TV and Star TV in India; TVS-3 in China; Telefe in Argentina; and TeleAmazonas in Ecuador.
Cellcast’s revenues streams are independent of both advertising and subscription fees. With a network of revenue sharing agreements with telecommunications carriers and aggregators across five continents, Cellcast receives a share of the call revenue every time a consumer uses a mobile or fixed-line phone to participate in its interactive entertainment, revenue which is retained or shared with its broadcast partners. Cellcast’s programme formats and proprietary Interactive Platform (CIP) also facilitate delivery of content to mobile phones, the internet and broadband-delivered IPTV. This enables viewers to continue participating in a programme away from the TV, generating 24/7 revenue opportunities.
Cellcast plc joined the AIM market ( AIM) of the London Stock Exchange on 21 September 2005.
FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide
FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FMLW) is the licensing division FremantleMedia, the largest international creator and producer of program brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FMLW exploits FremantleMedia's many strong brands including the award winning, American Idol, the world's longest running game show The Price Is Right, the ever-popular Family Feud, and other classic game shows across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing.
Rotana
Rotana is one of the largest producers and distributors of Arabic song and now cinema library. Rotana’s distribution network extensively covers the entire Middle East and most Arabic countries. It is also active in its retail operation having nine fully operational retail showrooms across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rotana TV Channel is a unique and a complete addition to the Era of Digital Interactivity. An Arabic Variety Channel for Entertainment for viewers in the Arab world with Interactivity services enabling the viewers to be directly involved through MMS, SMS, games and chat rooms.